THE ART OF THE KISS: Wordless way to say 'I love you' – Toronto Sun

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There’s romance in the air, and we’re kissing up to Valentine’s Day.

It’s a given smooching is on everyone’s lips today.

But why do people kiss?

It’s love’s eternal paradox says New York writer Kevin Dwyer in his excellent little tome, Kiss and Tell, A Trivial Study of Smooching (Quirk). Although written a few years back, the book’s messaging is still current — much like remembering that first kiss.

“Kisses are the sweetest element of our cultural tapestry,” writes Dwyer, adding “a kiss is innocent here, erotic there.”

And, of course, a kiss is a wordless way of simply saying “I love you.”

Kissing conjures up profound feelings — of passion, heartache, love, despair. All in one kiss.

Sleeping Beauty cheated death with a kiss; Judas ruined everything with a kiss.

Kissing has been studied by scholars and writers and those just interested in knowing what makes for a good pucker. They say your eyes are the window to your soul, but your lips are the window to your heart — research shows lips are made up of 10,000 nerve endings, making them 100 times more sensitive than finger tips.

Plus a deep, passionate kiss releases endorphins to make one feel good all over.

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It is said the average person will spend 20,160 minutes kissing in their lifetime — French kissing can burn up to five calories in only a few seconds, so do the math and get in shape!

Plus French kissing can accelerate excitement by elevating blood pressure and increasing heart rate — truly making one weak in the knees!

How important is a good kiss in a relationship?

According to biologist Sheril Kirshenbaum in The Science of Kissing, a couple who enjoys kissing “tends to have a more intense, healthier connection.” Studies show couples who kiss tend to live longer, too.

Why do we kiss at the end of a wedding ceremony? The custom can be traced to an ancient Roman tradition where a kiss was used to sign a contract.

Animals kiss. Even bread will kiss: Sometimes two loaves of bread will approach each other when baking and kiss. The spot where they unite is called the “kissing crust.”

Of course when you think of sweet kisses, you think of Hershey’s chocolate kisses — it takes 95 Hershey’s Kisses to equal one pound (500 grams) of chocolate!

KISS THIS!

Most eye-popping pop kiss: Madonna locking lips with Brittney Spears during 2003 MTV Video Music Awards.

Most uncomfortable spontaneous kiss captured on camera: Actor Adrien Brody holding the award-winning Halle Berry’s lips hostage in a truly cringe-worthy moment at the 2003 Oscars.

Most heart-melting kiss of pure passion: Famed French photographer Robert Doisneau’s famous Kiss by the Hotel de Ville showing two people embraced in a timeless moment, while strangers walk by. The photo is aptly named, The Lovers of Paris.

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Most heartbreaking kiss: Famed photographer Annie Leibovitz’s stunning portrait of a naked John Lennon embracing a clothed Yoko Ono for the cover of Rolling Stone magazine — a few short hours before he was assassinated.

A kiss before killing: The terrible betrayal of mob boss Michael Corleone (played by Al Pacino) by his brother Fredo (played by John Cazale) is revealed in a brutal kiss witnessed in the film, Godfather Part II.

FAMOUS MOVIE KISSES

Gone With The Wind (1939): Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh’s lip-lock is probably the most merchandised kiss in Hollywood history.

From Here to Eternity (1953): One of the most iconic kissing moments in movie history between Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr, sprawled on a messy beach while the surf rolls over them!

Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961): Animal lovers everywhere cherish this spectacular kiss between Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard while a totally disinterested cat is nestled between them.

Lady and the Tramp: Pasta never tasted so good between these two endearing pooches.

Moonlight (2017) The unbelievably sensual kiss between actors Ashton Sanders (Chiron) and Jharrel Jerome (Kevin) certainly helped the movie achieve Best Picture status.

Splendor in the Grass (1961): The Oscar-winning film, starring Natalie Wood and Warren Beatty, made cinematic history with Hollywood’s first French kiss.

LONGEST KISS

According to www.guinnessworldrecords.com, “the longest kiss lasted 58 hours, 35 minutes and 58 seconds, achieved by Ekkachai Tiranarat and Laksana Tiranarat at an event organized by Ripley’s Believe It or Not! in Pattaya, Thailand, on Feb. 12-14, 2013.

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BRACING FOR BAD BREATH

Give us a kiss! It’s Valentine’s day!

But — take that mask off first. It’ll just get in the way of a good time.

The masks everyone is wearing may be the main culprit for bad breath – the kiss of death for any romantic encounter.

So says Dr. Harold Katz – aka the Bad Breath Doctor: “Face coverings increase dryness in the mouth that encourages nasty bacteria to flourish in the tongue and throat. A dehydrated mouth can result in tooth decay, dry mouth, receding gum and bad breath.”

A definite romance wrecker. And, if you can smell bad breath while wearing your mask — you need to do something fast.

What to do? Maintain moist mouth at all times, says Katz www.therabreathcanada.com.

“When wearing masks, people tend to breathe through their mouths instead of their noses, and this also makes the mouth dry and decreases saliva. Also, when masked up, people tend to drink less water because of their reluctance to remove their masks in certain environments.”

Katz recommends avoiding foods and drinks that cause dry mouth, including alcoholic beverages, sugar, candies, onion, garlic, milk chocolate, dairy for lactose intolerance and coffee. Use a tongue scraper as well.

He also recommends drinking lots of water, eight glasses daily, to replenish lost saliva.

rdemontis@postmedia.com