French kiss

This article is about the type of kiss. For other uses, see French kiss (disambiguation).

A French kiss, also known as cataglottism or a tongue kiss, is an amorous kiss in which the participants' tongues extend to touch each other's lips or tongue. A kiss with the tongue stimulates the partner's lips, tongue and mouth, which are sensitive to the touch and induce sexual arousal. The sensation when two tongues touch—also known as tongue touching—has been proven to stimulate endorphin release and reduce acute stress levels.^{[citation needed]} Extended French kissing may be part of making out. The term originated at the beginning of the 20th century, in America and Great Britain, as the French had acquired a reputation for more adventurous and passionate sex practices.

A couple French kissing

French kissing may be a mode for disease transmission, particularly if there are open wounds.

Description

A French kiss is an amorous kiss in which the participants' tongues extend to touch each other's lips or tongue. A tongue kiss stimulates the partner's lips, tongue and mouth, which are sensitive to the touch and induce sexual arousal, as the oral zone is one of the principal erogenous zones of the body. The implication is of a slow, passionate kiss which is considered intimate, romantic, erotic or sexual. French kissing is often described as "first base", and is used by many as an indicator of what stage a relationship has reached. Extended French kissing may be part of making out.

History

Open-mouth kissing is alluded to in Sanskrit texts from 1500 BCE, and the Kama Sutra from the 3rd century mentions kissing inside of mouths.^[1]

Etymology

A French kiss is so called because at the beginning of the 20th century, in the English-speaking world, the French had acquired a reputation for more adventurous and passionate sex practices. It originated in America and Great Britain.^[2] In France, it is referred to as un baiser amoureux ("a lover's kiss") or un baiser avec la langue ("a kiss with the tongue"), and was previously known as un baiser Florentin ("a Florentine kiss").^[3] The Petit Robert 2014 French dictionary, released in 2013, added the French verb "se galocher," slang for kissing with tongues.^[4] The informal English term "frenching" also means French kissing,^[5] as does the Quebec French term "frencher".

Disease risks

A study showed that French kissing can carry moderate risk of HPV.^[6] However, a professor calls kissing a low-risk activity that should be safe from HPV.^[7] The possibility of contracting HIV from French kissing is extremely low as transmission would require open wounds.^[8][9] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers transmission of Hepatitis B via French kissing to be an unlikely mode of infection.^[10] However, deep kissing that involves the exchange of large amounts of saliva might result in infection if there are cuts or abrasions in the mouth of the infected person, especially if they have a high viral load.^[11] Occasionally, syphilis can be passed through prolonged French kissing,^[12] but this usually requires contact with an active lesion.^[13] French kissing is an unlikely mode of transmission of infection by gonorrhea.^[14]

In other species

As of 2019^[update], bonobos are the only species, other then humans, to have been observed engaging in tongue kissing.^[15][16][17]

See also

• Human sexual activity
• Oral sex
  • Anilingus
  • Cunnilingus
  • Fellatio
• Socialist fraternal kiss

References

1. "Did French kissing start in France?". HowStuffWorks. 2015-07-15. Retrieved 2022-05-03.
2. Toglia, Michelle (2013-07-12). "Pucker Up: The Origin Of The French Kiss". Tango Media. from the original on 2018-07-25. Retrieved 2018-10-29.
3. . 30 May 2013. Archived from the original on 2013-07-09. Retrieved 2022-05-03.
4. Neuman, Scott (2013-05-30). "A Kiss Is But A Kiss, But To French Kiss Is 'Galocher'". NPR. from the original on 2021-04-18. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
5. Hsieh, Carina; Smothers, Hannah (2020-06-19). "Your Everything Guide to How to French Kiss". Cosmopolitan. from the original on 2020-12-05. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
6. ""French" kissing ups risk of oral HPV infection". Reuters. Retrieved 12 May 2009.
7. "Can You Get HPV From Kissing? Sexual Health Experts Address a Common Fear".
8. "HIV/AIDS 101" (PDF). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (PDF) from the original on 1 June 2017. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
9. "Man with HIV may have infected partner with a kiss". CNN. 10 July 1997. from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
10. "Hepatitis B" (PDF). CDC. 2012-05-08. (PDF) from the original on 2020-08-13. Retrieved 2015-05-12.
11. "How Much Do You Really Know About Sex and Hepatitis B? Take This Quiz and Find Out". 21 September 2016. from the original on 2021-12-01. Retrieved 2021-12-01.
12. "Syphilis Symptoms, Causes, and Diagnosis". WebMD. from the original on 2020-09-25. Retrieved 2015-05-12.
13. Fantry, Lori E.; Tramont, Edmund C. "Treponema Pallidum (Syphilis)". from the original on 2015-03-12. Retrieved 2015-05-12.
14. Connelly, D.D.S., Thomas P. (2012-01-23). "Oral Gonorrhea? Yes, You Can Get Gonorrhea of the Mouth and Throat". The Huffington Post. from the original on 2020-05-07. Retrieved 2015-05-12.
15. Manson JH, Perry S, Parish AR (1997). "Nonconceptive Sexual Behavior in Bonobos and Capuchins". International Journal of Primatology. 18 (5): 767–86. doi:10.1023/A:1026395829818. S2CID 3032455.
16. "The Scandalous Social Lives of Bonobos". Saving Earth | Encyclopedia Britannica. 2012-05-21. Retrieved 2022-05-03.
17. Garrod, Ben (May 22, 2019). "Bonobo mothers meddle in their sons' lives to help them find sex partners". Quartz. Retrieved 2022-05-03.

External links

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tongue kisses.

• Discussion of the "biochemistry, psychology, anthropology and history of kissing" on BBC Radio 4 in July 2017.