A kiss contains 80 million bacteria

Research by Dutch scientists shows that a 10-second kiss can exchange 80 million bacteria.

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Picture 1 of A kiss contains 80 million bacteria
A 10-second kiss can exchange 80 million bacteria between two people.(Artwork: Huffington Post)

The study was conducted in 21 pairs of men and women, with questions about the frequency and habits of kissing. One person in each pair is required to drink probiotic drinks, which contain many recognizable bacteria. Experts then sample bacteria from their tongue and saliva before and after kissing for about 10 seconds.

At the second kiss, they can easily detect the amount of bacteria exchanged between two people in the pair. According to a team of experts from the Applied Science Research Organization (TNO), the Netherlands, on average for a 10-second kiss, this number is 80 million. In 21 pairs, people who kiss 9 times a day will exchange more bacteria in saliva.

The BBC quoted Remco Kort, the head of the study, saying that French kisses could be a way to create large numbers of bacteria in a short time.

These forms of research can help experts find ways to treat bacterial diseases. More than 700 types of bacteria exist in each person's mouth.