We have all been both philanthropists and beneficiaries of this wonderful act at one time or another. Historically, I think there is only one person who has been accused of misusing a kiss, and that is Judas Iscariot, so what is really in a kiss?  

A kiss is defined as a touch or caress with the lips as a sign of love, affection, or greeting. People have been seen kissing others, objects and sometimes air "flying kiss".

So, whatsoever you are kissing, is likely to be covered up in the above three categories ; it will either be for  love, affection or a  greeting.  

A kiss meaning something in one culture can be a taboo in another. A good example is among the Arabs. Here, a bride kisses the groom's father on the cheek or fore head while in the Ganda culture it's taboo for a woman to even touch her father-in- law!

Many people believe kissing is exclusive to humans, but this is not true. Our closest relatives- the chimpanzees, frequently kiss as a sign of friendship. The Baboons or pigmy chimps are very keen on kissing and even engage in French kissing "tongue to tongue".

While looking for information on the internet, I learnt that kissing is an exquisite alliance of the taste, smell and touch senses.

Psychologists have found that the upper lip is more sensitive to touch than the other parts of the body, with the possible exception of the genitals.

Research also shows that a large part of our brain deals with incoming messages from the lips and tongue than from other parts of the body, the genitals included. Our brains were obviously designed for kissing.

Types of kisses
I would want to believe that there are not as many kinds of kisses as people want to believe.

This is because when it comes to love, whatsoever kiss you plant on your lover is all engulfed in intimacy.

This also happens with affection be it kissing a family member, a pet or a trophy, as athletes do. Although we would want to name different kisses, the fact is that it's just the moments, circumstances, intensity and duration that really creates the difference.

What's a good kiss?
As usual, my concentration will be on lovers. It would be pointless and a waste of space if I tried to explain how you should kiss your grandma!

Before a good intimate kiss takes place, it's important that both partners relax their bodily muscles. There is a general acceptance that for a kissing to be right, the lips should be moistened and the lips should be in a half opened/ half closed pose.

Unlike what many people do, a good kiss also has to have alternating leaders; it should not only be the man leading. If he is the one who initiated the kiss, half way he should surrender the lead to his partner.

The bodies must be close and leaving the hands hanging by your side is a kissing crime. This means that, it should not only end on your lips locking, but the bodies should also come together while the hands should be roaming the body of your partner.

Eye contact
To close your eyes or not?  This is a debate about which many people are not sure. A couple I asked to comment on the subject even differed on what they usually do; one said they close the eyes while the other said they leave their eyes open.

But the mystery as to why a majority of people close their eyes as they kiss could be explained scientifically this way: Sexual arousal makes the pupils of our eyes expand, which normally happens when it's dark.

This confuses our brain because our eyes react as though it's dark when it isn't. Therefore, it reduces the amount of light entering our eyes, causing us to close them. Perhaps it's not very wise to open the eyes as this will be equal to fighting your body's defensive mechanism.

Kissing turn-off
There are many things that can turn this arousal act into a bad experience, key to them is bad breath.

The problem with bad breath is that many times the person who has it may not be aware of his condition. Things like kissing someone after you have eaten raw onions can offset the balance of your breath turning the kissing experience into a nightmare.

So it's always important for both partners to first brush their teeth almost every time you suspect kissing might take place.

Another simple way is to always arm yourself with mouth fresheners;these could be in form of sprays or just plain chewing gum.

For the sake of kissing, visit your dentist at least once in a year to remedy any problem! Other turn offs could come as a result of too much force (forget those forceful kisses of Hollywood, they are just acting), also improper use of teeth may be a turn off.

Did you know?
You can also kiss your partner to orgasm. This is because scientists reveal that a nerve cell called "Krause's and bulbs", which are large and normally very sensitive, are found in great profusion in the penis, clitoris and lips.

Lastly research has shown that when a couple's love is dying, the first thing that disappears in their relationship is kissing.

Is the kissing still right in your relationship? Then you are still on; if it's fading please take note because your relationship could be heading in the same direction! blog comments powered by Disqus

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