Are you a good kisser?  As usual, it depends on whether you’re a man or a woman.  And that first kiss is more important than you may think.

Researchers at the University of Albany found that nearly 2/3 of people who were were attracted to someone totally lost interest the moment they had that first kiss.  This is because a kiss is not just a kiss; biologically speaking, a kiss is an exchange of chemical, tactile, and bodily cues.  Regions of our brains go crazy when we get a good kiss, given that much of our brain is wired to pick up information from our mouths.

Evolutionary psychologists have also speculated that we determine reproduction and genetic compatibility from a kiss.  Saliva also contains testosterone, a sex hormone that affects libido.  Researchers at Lafayette College in Pennsylvania also found that kissing provides stress relief by reducing levels of the stress hormone cortisol.  In the long-term, kissing maintains the bond lovers feel for one another.

As you would expect, men and women approach kissing differently.  Men are more likely to kiss as a means to an end, i.e., to get sex.  Men are also more able to enjoy sex that involves bad or no kissing.  Men also swap more spit than women and prefer open-mouth and tongue kissing.  Researchers speculate this may be because the male sense of taste and smell are less acute than females.

Whereas women are more likely to use kissing as a way to establish and evaluate their relationship, reject bad kissers, and require kissing before, during and after sex.

With such importance placed on the kiss, it’s odd that most sex education bypasses the lips and heads straight for the genitals.  Fortunately, kissing is fun and easy with a willing partner, so you are encouraged to practice kissing every day.

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