
Can you get menengitis from kissing?
Meningitis is sometimes called spinal meningitis, regardless of the cause. Myth 2: You can only get meningitis by kissing someone who has it. Reality: Although kissing is one way to spread the disease and kissing multiple partners will greatly increase your risk of contracting meningitis, it can be spread in other ways, such as by drinking out of the same glass, coughing, or sharing items like lipstick or cigarettes.
Is there any disease you can get from kissing?
Only certain STDs, or sexually transmitted infections (STIs), are transmittable through kissing. Two common ones are herpes simplex virus (HSV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV). Kissing can be one of the most exciting parts of a relationship. But you may also feel wary of kissing if you’re with someone for the first time.
Could gingivitis be transmitted by kissing?
You’re unlikely to get gingivitis through kissing, but people who have poor oral health may be more susceptible to the exchange of bacteria during kissing. This exposure (combined with poor oral health) may lead to gingivitis. Babies are also at an increased risk of developing gingivitis due to their growing immune systems.
Can you get pink eye from kissing?
Whether pink eye is contagious by kissing depends on a number of factors including how you do it. By wet kissing, you could get the virus responsible for pink eye from a person by mouth. Where you get into contact with an infected person’s eye due to the faces being up against each other, it is very possible to get infected.

Why do babies have gingivitis?
Babies are also at an increased risk of developing gingivitis due to their growing immune systems. When a parent with gingivitis kisses a baby on the lips, it’s possible to spread the bacteria to the baby’s mouth.
What is gingivitis in dentistry?
When to see a dentist. Takeaway. Gingivitis is a common type of periodontal disease characterized by inflammation of the gums. The common symptoms of gingivitis are swollen, tender, red, and bleeding gums. Gingivitis is most often caused by a bacterial infection that spreads to the gums from the buildup of plaque.
What is the most common periodontal disease?
Gingivitis is one of the most prevalent types of periodontal disease, affecting both children and adults. It’s caused by plaque buildup due to poor oral hygiene, which can lead to the spread of bacteria in your gums.
What are the benefits of oral hygiene?
Good oral hygiene can help you maintain good oral health, which is an important part of your overall health. Poor oral health can potentially lead to other health conditions, such as: 1 gingivitis 2 periodontitis 3 cavities 4 endocarditis 5 heart disease 6 birth complications 7 lung infections
What is the first line of defense against the spread of gingivitis?
Good oral hygiene habits — including frequent tooth brushing, flossing, and professional cleanings — are the first line of defense against the development and spread of gingivitis.
How to avoid spreading bacteria?
If you or someone close to you has gingivitis, the best way to avoid spreading bacteria is to avoid saliva-to-saliva contact. This means not sharing kisses, drinks, utensils, or anything else mouth-related until treatment is underway.
Can you get gingivitis from drinking from the same cup?
If someone else drinks from the same cup or straw, that bacteria may spread to their mouth. It’s unlikely that someone will develop gingivitis by simply drinking from the same cup as someone with the disease. But it depends on the person’s immune system and oral health.
How do you know if you have gingivitis?
You might start to notice signs of gingivitis a week or two after the incubation period. Although, the symptoms can vary among different individuals. Inflammation and red coloration of the gums instead of its normal pink color is among the early signs of gingivitis. Your gums may also start to bleed easily when you brush your teeth. Bad breath, swollen gums and receding gums are also signs of gingivitis.
Can you get gingivitis if you are exposed to bacteria?
They also claimed that you can only get gingivitis depending on how exposed you are to gingivitis- causing bacteria. After some personal study that I carried out on some of these research reports, here is what I have to say about this situation.
Can you get gingivitis if you kiss someone?
When gingivitis is untreated, it progresses leading to the death of the gum issues and bones surrounding the teeth. Gingivitis is contagious, but it doesn’t mean that you will contract it immediately if you kissed an infected person. It all depends on your health condition at that particular point in time, poor immunity can make you susceptible to infections.
Can kissing bad bacteria cause dental problems?
An increase in the level of bad bacteria over the level of good bacteria in your can lead to dental problems. A kiss can exchange millions of bacteria, both the bad and good ones. This might sound funny but it is really true, getting a kiss from a person that has oral infection can introduce bad bacteria to your mouth. If your oral health during that time is not strong enough, you may have dental problems.
Can you kiss your child's drinking glasses?
This is why you should not allow your children to share their personal utensils, drinking glasses, or saliva in any way with other adults. As an adult or parent, you should not kiss or use your child’s personal drinking glass or utensils if you have gum disease. Just as I have explained earlier, their immune systems are still developing, introducing gingivitis-causing bacteria into your child’s mouth can make them to have gingivitis too.
Can gum disease be passed on to children?
Gum disease can be easily passed from parents to their children and between romantic partners. A quick sip from a drink or an intimate kiss from an infected person, can transmit the bacteria that cause gum disease. Children can easily contract gingivitis from their parents or an infected person, because of their still developing immune system.
Is gingivitis contagious?
Unlike cancer sores or flu gum disease doesn’t occur the same way, it’s not only contracted by the transmission of bad bacteria. it’s much more than that, how you take care of your oral health can result to gingivitis. Poor oral hygiene, no dental flossing, smoking, certain medications and taking lots of sugary foods can all cause gingivitis.
How to prevent gingivitis from spreading?
Prevention is always better than treatment. Brushing your teeth regularly, flossing, and using mouthwash are your best weapons against plaque and gum inflammation. Avoid sharing saliva with someone who has gingivitis is also useful.
What causes gingivitis in the mouth?
The most common cause for gingivitis is plaque buildup. Plaque is a thin layer of bacteria that forms on the surface of your teeth and gums. (It’s also the culprit behind cavities.) Plaque is huge amounts of bacteria. Combined with saliva and food it forms calculus- even BIGGER amounts of destructive bacteria in the mouth!
What is gingivitis in teeth?
Gingivitis is simply inflammation of your gums. It’s the start of periodontal disease (more progressive) and if left untreated, it can develop into periodontitis which is inflammation of the supporting structures of the teeth- this leads to loose teeth (and very bad breath)furthermore, its linked to heart disease. That’s why it’s crucial to take gingivitis seriously.
How do you know if you have gingivitis?
These are the most common signs and symptoms that you have gingivitis: 1 Bright red or purple gums 2 Tenderness, painful to the touch 3 Bleeding from the gums when brushing or flossing 4 Bad breath 5 Inflammation or swelling by the gums 6 Receding gums 7 Soft gums
What is the least painful way to heal gums?
If you have gingivitis or gum disease, the least painful and most effective method to heal your gums is with LANAP. And if you’re in New York City with gingivitis, you’re in luck. Advanced Dental Arts has the equipment and expertise to help you.
What is the best treatment for gingivitis?
The most advanced and least painful way to treat gingivitis and gum disease is with LANAP. This is a dental laser surgery that works wonders for inflamed gums. And it’s great for both mild gingivitis and severe gum disease.
Can you feel gingivitis before you can see it?
You’ll probably feel gingivitis before you can see it. If your gums are tender, painful, and sensitive, you most likely have gingivitis. They may also bleed when you brush your teeth or floss.
Why do people kiss when they have bad teeth?
Kissing someone who has gum disease or cavity-causing bacteria can cause someone else who previously had a low concentration of “bad” bacteria to “catch” dental problems, due to the increased concentration of “bad” bacteria — especially if that person has poor oral hygiene habits, which set the stage for tooth decay.
How many bacteria can you exchange in a kiss?
A kiss can exchange up to 80 million bacteria. It might sound like a schoolyard joke that you can get “cooties” from kissing, but let me perfectly clear on this one: You can get gum disease from kissing, or even by sharing a drink or utensil.
How to prevent gum disease every day?
No matter who you’ve kissed, if you’re in the habit of flossing, brushing, and getting teeth cleanings regularly , then you are preventing gum disease every day.
What happens if you share a wet smooch with your dog?
If you’re a dog-owner: Every time you share a wet smooch with your dog, you’re swapping bacteria, and unless you’re flossing Fido’s teeth, those are gum-disease bacteria that you’re sharing.
Can you get gum disease from kissing?
Don’t worry — your immune system, if healthy and well, can handle this infection. Just because you got someone else’s bugs from kissing or sharing a drink doesn’t mean you will get gum disease. You can still protect yourself. Since the concentration of gum disease and cavity-causing bacteria is increased in your mouth, strong oral hygiene habits — that’s flossing, brushing and regular teeth cleanings — will be absolutely mandatory for you.
Do you have to stop kissing if you have gum disease?
Even if your kissing partner has gum disease, you don’t have to stop kissing to protect yourself. Gum disease doesn’t occur the same way as the flu or an STI. That’s because gum disease isn’t just caused by the transmission of “bad” bacteria — it’s much more multi-factorial than that.
Can you share saliva with your family?
have some form of gum disease, I don’t recommend that anyone share saliva — even amongst family members, and especially not from parent to child.
What is gingivitis?
Gingivitis is the first and only stage where gum disease can be reversed. This is because your bones haven’t been attacked yet. Bleeding gums is one of the first noticeable symptoms experienced when you have gingivitis in Merrimack, NH. Proper oral hygiene and regular dental exams and cleanings help you treat and reverse it.
Periodontal disease symptoms
Gum disease is silent, meaning there are no symptoms at all and it can be hard to know if you have it. This makes regular exams and routine dental cleanings important to diagnose it before it becomes more serious and advanced. Some symptoms of periodontal disease are:
Can gum disease spread to other teeth?
If you have gum disease, it can spread to other teeth as it is in the gums, which are connected together to hold your teeth in place. This makes it important to treat gum disease as soon as you think you have it to prevent it from advancing to more detrimental stages that can lead to receding gums or tooth loss.
Can gum disease spread through kissing?
Periodontal disease isn’t contagious through casual contact. Sharing saliva and bacteria, such as kissing, with someone who has gum disease can increase the likelihood of transmitting it to their partner. People with poor oral health are more susceptible to exchanging bacteria during kissing, which can lead to gingivitis.
Learn how to treat gum disease in Merrimack, NH
When left untreated, gum disease continues to deteriorate your oral and overall health. At Something To Smile About in Merrimack, NH, Dr. Kevin Boulard helps patients improve their gum health with periodontal disease treatment. To learn more about these treatments, schedule an appointment today.
How does gingivitis spread?
The American Dental Association suggests that initial spread of those gingivitis-causing bacteria (and many others) spread from mothers to their children. Children by the age of 3 are about 26 times more likely to have gingivitis-causing bacteria such as A. actinomycetemcomitans if their mothers have that strain of bacterium in their mouths. Similarly, cohabiting men and women develop similar bacterial populations. The spread of these organisms to other people occurs through sharing utensils, food, kissing, and other direct and indirect physical contacts.
How will one know if he or she has gingivitis?
Consequently, it could take years for gingivitis to develop in certain individuals. Gingivitis is usually diagnosed during a dental checkup or tooth cleaning. However, some people may develop symptoms of bad breath, swollen gums, receding gums, gums that bleed when an individual flosses or brushes their teeth, and/or develop a reddish coloration of the gums instead of the normal pinkish gum coloration. These are symptoms and signs that suggest that gingivitis is occurring.
What is gingivitis (gum disease or periodontal disease)?
Gingivitis is commonly termed gum disease and medically termed periodontal disease . Gingivitis is considered to be the early stage of periodontal disease by some investigators. The majority of individuals with gingivitis have bacteria under the gingival area, and these bacteria cause inflammation. Some bacteria that play a role in gingivitis also play a role in causing cavities.
When should someone seek medical care for gingivitis?
Although gingivitis is not a medical emergency, the following problems should cause an individual to seek dental care:
What does it mean when your gums bleed?
Gingivitis is usually diagnosed during a dental checkup or tooth cleaning. However, some people may develop symptoms of bad breath, swollen gums, receding gums, gums that bleed when an individual flosses or brushes their teeth, and/or develop a reddish coloration of the gums instead of the normal pinkish gum coloration.
How long does it take for gingivitis to appear?
Once bacteria begin to cause inflammation, the symptoms of gingivitis may begin to appear as early as a week, but the incubation period is highly variable and depends on both colonization by bacteria that cause gingivitis and other factors that stimulate the growth of these bacteria.
Is gingivitis transmitted by kissing?
Theoretically, it may be transmitted or spread by kissing. Currently, the American Dental Association considers gingivitis to be contagious. However, other factors such as those described above usually need to be present for an individual to develop gingivitis.
How does gum disease affect teeth?
It takes a long period of time for bacteria to accumulate on your teeth and gum lines and also affect your gum tissue, bone and ligaments that support your teeth. Well, gum disease and those bacteria that contribute to gum disease can be shared when present in our mouth and saliva.
What is the most severe stage of gum disease?
The more severe stage of gum disease is known as periodontitis. Periodontitis damages the cells of your immune system, the gums, periodontal ligaments and bones. As of recent, many researchers have carried out various studies to help us understand more about periodontal disease.
What is the earliest stage of periodontal disease?
At the earliest stage, periodontal disease is called gingivitis, it starts out with irritated, red, swollen and bleeding gums caused by a bacterial infection. The earliest stage of periodontal disease is reversible, but when it’s left untreated, the disease can progress into an irreversible condition. The more severe stage of gum disease is known ...
What is gum disease?
Richard Smith Leave a Comment. Gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, is a chronic pathological infection of the structures around the teeth. Periodontal disease is mostly caused by bacteria in dental plaque. It affects the gums, bone and connective tissues that supports the teeth.
Does kissing your spouse cause gum disease?
Kissing and sharing of utensils and food with your spouse suffering from periodontal disease, slightly increases your risk of having gum disease. People suffering from gum disease, always have high number of harmful bacteria growth in their mouth. You’re at higher risk of contracting the disease if your immune system is poor ...
Can you get periodontal disease if you are married?
In addition, your chances of contracting periodontal disease are slightly increased if you’re married to a spouse with advanced periodontal disease.
Is periodontal disease contagious?
So, periodontal disease is contagious but it can only be transmitted when exposure has occurred over a long period of time . In a family setting, it’s common for members to spread bacteria from their mouth through kissing, sharing of eating utensils and oral care equipments.
How to protect yourself from gingivitis?
The best way to protect yourself is by maintaining excellent oral healthcare (i.e. brushing twice a day and flossing before bed) so no matter what kind of bacteria someone's introducing into your mouth, you're on it before it can grow out of control.
Why is it called "kissing disease"?
Ah, the so-called "kissing disease"! It definitely deserves its nickname, because mono is caused by a virus that is easily transmitted through kissing, according to Mayo Clinic. One of its trademark signs is intense fatigue, although others include a sore throat and swollen lymph nodes.
Why do some meningitis cases come about?
Some meningitis is caused by bacteria while other cases come about because of viruses (including the herpes virus), Chris Carpenter, M.D., section head of Infectious Disease and Internal Medicine at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan, tells SELF.
Why is Zika on the tip of the tongue?
Zika is on the tip of everyone's tongue right now, primarily because it can cause microcephaly, a birth defect marked by an abnormally small head and brain. Now, researchers are tasked with determining all the ways the virus can spread, including sexually. And yes, that may include saliva. "Mosquitoes are far and away the main root of transmission," says Carpenter. "But we have also discovered that it is present in a number of different bodily fluids."
Does kissing cause syphilis?
Kissing isn't the most common way to transmit syphilis —oral, anal, and vaginal sex still rank higher. But syphilis rates are currently on the rise, according to the CDC, so it's good information to have.
Does kissing involve spit?
Kissing doesn't just involve swapping spit —although, how unsexy does that sound when you're not actually doing it?—it also includes exchanging bacteria with the other person. Depending on both of your oral healthcare habits, that bacteria can cause gingivitis, which is a mild form of gum disease. (It can also cause cavities .) "We each have our own natural bacterial flora in our oral environments. When someone has poor hygiene, certain bacteria in and around the gum tissue can become overwhelming," Tim Pruett, D.M.D., founder of Flossolution, tells SELF.
Can kissing cause meningitis?
Bacterial meningitis is usually the kind associated with outbreaks because the bacteria can be spread through close contact, including kissing, but unlike with the viral variety, the bacteria is more likely to cause meningitis in the host, says Carpenter. Symptoms include a stiff neck, fever, and headache, according to the CDC.
Why do people kiss deep?
Healthier mouth – saliva contains substances that fight bacteria, viruses and fungi. Deep kissing increases the flow of saliva, which helps to keep the mouth, teeth and gums healthy.
What does kissing your partner do?
Stress reduction – kissing your partner, either tenderly or passionately, releases calming brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) that reduce stress levels and soothe the mind .
What is the name of the disease that spreads through saliva?
Mononucleosis: This disease, usually caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), spreads through saliva and is often referred to as “mono” or “the kissing disease.”. Symptoms are very similar to those of the flu and include a fever, sore throat, fatigue, muscle weakness and swollen lymph glands.
Does brushing your teeth help with gum disease?
Gum Disease: Bacteria, mucus and other particles constantly live in our mouths and can build up to form plaque. Brushing and flossing helps get rid of plaque, though if not cleaned thoroughly, plaque can build up under the gum line and cause gum disease. Though gum disease (also known as periodontitis and gingivitis) does not spread through kissing, the bad bacteria that cause it can. Brushing and flossing your teeth regularly is your best defense.
