Kissing can trigger allergic reactions in sensitive people--study

According to researchers, hundreds or even millions of bacterial colonies move from one mouth to another during a kiss, and allergens can linger in the saliva for nearly a day after ingestion, regardless of brushing, rinsing or other interventions.

Allergists have linked kissing to swelling of the lips or tongue, sneezing, itching and rashes in the throat in people who are prone to allergic reactions from food and medicines.

Lead author of the study, Dr Sami Bahna, president of the American College of Asthma and Immunology stated, “If you have food allergies, having an allergic reaction immediately after kissing someone who has eaten the food or taken oral medication that you are allergic to isn’t highly unusual.

“But some patients react after their partner has brushed his or her teeth or several hours after eating. It turns out that their partners’ saliva is excreting the allergen hours after the food or medicine has been absorbed by their body.”

Some recommendations offered
Doctors counsel partners of people susceptible to allergies to brush teeth and rinse mouth thoroughly before getting cozy and intimate.

Although, these interventions can help mild sufferers, the risk of an allergic reaction is not eliminated in people who are overtly sensitive and react to even traces of the offensive food.

According to Bahna, partners of such people need to avoid the problematic food or medicine completely for around 16 to 24 hours before a make-out session.

Experience of a doctor
Dr. Bahna shared the experience of a 30-year old doctor, who was allergic to peanuts, and suffered a life threatening reaction of recurrent anaphylaxis every time he kissed his girlfriend, who had eaten the troublesome nuts two hours before she met him.

This happened consistently despite her taking the precautions of brushing and rinsing her mouth and even chewing gum.

Bahna stated, "I do not want this discussion to cause all people with allergies to live in fear.

"It depends on the particular sensitivity of the immune system. ... Most people get a mild reaction from an allergen. So if your girlfriend or your wife is not very allergic to peanuts, for example, she will not be affected by a kiss from a person who ate peanuts."

The study was presented at the annual congregation of the 'American College of Allergy.'