Can I get an STD from kissing?
Yes. You can get sexually transmitted diseases from kissing. But most experts would tell you that kissing—even passionate tongue kissing—is a pretty safe sexual act.
When talking about STDs and kissing, the real danger is oral herpes. Herpes is a very common infection that causes sores on or near the mouth, face, vulva, vagina, penis, scrotum or anus. An estimated 50% of adults in the US have herpes.
Cold sores are caused by two types of the herpes simplex virus (HSV). HSV-1 causes almost all cases of oral herpes, and HSV-2 causes most cases of genital herpes. That said, any type of virus can cause sores in any of these places.
Sores come and go, often appearing when people are sick or stressed. This may be why people refer to them as cold sores. These sores are very contagious. In fact, experts believe that most people who have cold sores contracted it when they were children from a quick kiss on the lips from a relative or friend.
A person is contagious only when they have a wound, are recovering from a wound, or are about to get a wound. It is best not to kiss anyone if either of you has or recently had a visible cold sore. You can’t see when someone is going to get a sore, but people who have cold sores often say they get a feeling on their lips when it comes on. Take a break from the kiss if either of you think they might get hurt.
As for other STDs, kissing isn’t a big risk. Chlamydia and gonorrhea, both caused by bacteria, can infect the throat, but that’s the result of oral sex, not a hockey game with tonsils.
HIV is present in saliva but in such low doses that it does not cause transmission. C. Everett Koop, who was the Surgeon General at the beginning of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, once said that you would have to drink a bucket of saliva to be at any risk for HIV. (Minor!) The only time kissing can be an HIV risk is if blood is exchanged, such as if one or both partners have bleeding gums or open sores in their mouths.
This is similar to syphilis. It is caused by a bacteria and is not found in saliva, but it can cause sores in your mouth that could spread the infection to another person.
Bottom line: Skip the kiss if you have any kind of sores in or around your mouth (and see a health care provider). Otherwise, you can walk away without worry.
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Can I get an STD from kissing?
You can get STDs from kissing, but most experts would tell you that kissing—even passionate tongue kissing—is a pretty safe sexual act.
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