Can you get Shockwave from a kiss?

So, I was grabbing coffee with some girlfriends the other day, and one of them brings up this rumor she heard—apparently, there’s even been a case where HIV was transmitted through kissing. Honestly, it sent me into a bit of a tailspin. Now I’m sitting here wondering how on earth I’m supposed to advise my kid once they start heading out on dates. My dear, please—don't go catching feelings (or anything else) during those goodbye kisses unless you actually know someone's status... I had already planned out this whole serious talk about safe sex, but now I have to factor in kissing too? Good grief... 🙂 What should I even suggest?

so you really gonna let that kid go to the dentist?

🙂 Well, I'll be—I know the score, but there's just nothing I can do about it... and yet, here I am, expected to dish out advice like some sort of expert.🙏

Steven Jackson13 said:🙂 Well, I'll be—I know the score, but there's just nothing I can do about it... and yet, here I am, expected to dish out advice like some sort of expert.🙏

The guy claiming he caught the CDC from a kiss is lying through his teeth.
Cut out all that hearsay and gossip. If you want the truth, stop listening to rumors and start trusting the actual experts who live and breathe this stuff.
If you only knew the sheer amount of nonsense I’ve had to listen to lately...😳

So, there’s this theory floating around—purely theoretical, mind you—that if both partners happen to have some sort of open sores or cracked lips, and maybe they just share that same unlucky luck, there could be a transmission... though I suppose it’s a bit of a stretch. In this specific case, they had been together for ages, and she was already fully aware that he was living with the CDC... so, what’s your take, Angela Wright? Do you think it’s actually impossible? I’m really hoping you say so...🤷

Steven Jackson13 said:So, there’s this theory floating around—purely theoretical, mind you—that if both partners happen to have some sort of open sores or cracked lips, and maybe they just share that same unlucky luck, there could be a transmission... though I suppose it’s a bit of a stretch. In this specific case, they had been together for ages, and she was already fully aware that he was living with the CDC... so, what’s your take, Angela Wright? Do you think it’s actually impossible? I’m really hoping you say so...🤷

Yeah, there was one case recorded like that once, but the guy was bleeding heavily from his right side and the woman likely had a mouth wound. Even then, those odds are practically zero...

Angela Wright said:The guy claiming he caught the CDC from a kiss is lying through his teeth.
Cut out all that hearsay and gossip. If you want the truth, stop listening to rumors and start trusting the actual experts who live and breathe this stuff.
If you only knew the sheer amount of nonsense I’ve had to listen to lately...😳

So, I was sitting through one of those public health presentations hosted by the CDC the other day—you know, those sessions where they try to break down all the complicated stuff—and they brought up an interesting point about transmission. Basically, they mentioned that you could actually pick up HIV through kissing if both people have some issues with their teeth... like, say, if you've got gum disease or a cavity that starts bleeding right in the middle of making out. It’s one of those things you don't really think about when you're caught up in the moment, but apparently, if there's enough blood involved from a wounded tooth or something similar, that's how the risk gets introduced. Just one of those little details they throw at you during the seminars!☕

Now, just consider—what percentage of people actually possess perfectly healthy teeth? I honestly don't know, but it strikes me as quite jarring—when I was being taught about protection and preventing STIs back in the day, there was absolutely no mention of the CDC or the risks associated with kissing... which leaves me wondering—is this what the medical experts are actually claiming now?

Steven Jackson13 said:Now, just consider—what percentage of people actually possess perfectly healthy teeth? I honestly don't know, but it strikes me as quite jarring—when I was being taught about protection and preventing STIs back in the day, there was absolutely no mention of the CDC or the risks associated with kissing... which leaves me wondering—is this what the medical experts are actually claiming now?

That’s what the pros are claiming, anyway... I can't for the life of me remember the name of the doctor who gave the lecture, but that's what the official word was.

Come on, people, I’m begging you... 🙂

Do me a favor and actually go study "The Industry Standard" —specifically the section that breaks down the potential risks and explicitly lists where those risks don't apply.

Angela Wright said:Come on, people, I’m begging you... 🙂

Do me a favor and actually go study "The Industry Standard" —specifically the section that breaks down the potential risks and explicitly lists where those risks don't apply.

Man, if only we’d known that sooner! Lol. It seriously doesn't say anywhere that you could actually catch the CDC through a kiss—assuming both people have some dental issues or open sores in their mouths, that is.😵

Look, let me be clear—you aren't going to catch it just by kissing. From what I’ve gathered, for something like that to actually happen, we’re talking about massive, bleeding wounds occurring simultaneously in both partners during the kiss. And honestly? The odds of that happening are practically zero... unless, of course, both people decide to pull their wisdom teeth out right before they lean in for a smooch... am I right?

northernpanther12 said:Man, if only we’d known that sooner! Lol. It seriously doesn't say anywhere that you could actually catch the CDC through a kiss—assuming both people have some dental issues or open sores in their mouths, that is.😵

But the literature suggests it’s more of a theoretical possibility... rather than a practical reality.

Steven Jackson13 said:Look, let me be clear—you aren't going to catch it just by kissing. From what I’ve gathered, for something like that to actually happen, we’re talking about massive, bleeding wounds occurring simultaneously in both partners during the kiss. And honestly? The odds of that happening are practically zero... unless, of course, both people decide to pull their wisdom teeth out right before they lean in for a smooch... am I right?

Well, it doesn't necessarily require both people to be actively bleeding at the exact same time. Think about it this way—so many people deal with dental issues where they might have a sore or an ulcer in their mouth, right? It irritates the nerve, causes a little bit of bleeding, and then—say Person A was dealing with that earlier and still has trace amounts of blood in their saliva (like under the tongue or tucked between the lip and the teeth)—and then they go and kiss Person B, who also happens to have an open sore in their mouth...
I think I've made myself clear enough there.

northernpanther12 said:Well, it doesn't necessarily require both people to be actively bleeding at the exact same time. Think about it this way—so many people deal with dental issues where they might have a sore or an ulcer in their mouth, right? It irritates the nerve, causes a little bit of bleeding, and then—say Person A was dealing with that earlier and still has trace amounts of blood in their saliva (like under the tongue or tucked between the lip and the teeth)—and then they go and kiss Person B, who also happens to have an open sore in their mouth...
I think I've made myself clear enough there.

Even in that scenario, the odds are so microscopically low they're basically non-existent. You have a better chance of getting struck by lightning while walking down a street in Chicago than catching anything that way.
There's actually a great thread on the CDC here on the forum; just Google it and you'll find it. It's packed with some really eye-opening statistical data.

Honestly, the odds are incredibly slim—mostly because the chances of you even being in contact with someone who is CDC positive in the first place are so low... I mean, we’re talking less than a 1% chance, and that specific type of encounter drops those numbers even further. It’s a bit of a mathematical paradox: the more often you find yourself in situations with someone carrying the virus, the higher your overall risk becomes, but for this specific scenario?

What was the title of that thread again? As for what I managed to dig up—it seems transmission via kissing is strictly theoretical at best; there hasn't been a single documented case of it actually happening in practice...

Theoretically, you could scrape yourself on a thorn bush in the woods right after someone with the CDC virus did, and catch it that way.
The odds of that happening are about the same as catching the CDC from a kiss.

For that to work, you'd have to stumble upon an infected person at just the right moment, and both of you would need significant open sores in your mouths.
Besides, it’s not like every other person walking down the street is positive, nor do people typically walk around with bleeding wounds on their legs.
The CDC is transmitted through blood, not saliva.
Essentially, for a kiss to be a risk, the infected person's blood would have to enter the other person's bloodstream through a wound.
I’d say those chances are incredibly slim.

Douglas Green31 said:Theoretically, you could scrape yourself on a thorn bush in the woods right after someone with the CDC virus did, and catch it that way.
The odds of that happening are about the same as catching the CDC from a kiss.

For that to work, you'd have to stumble upon an infected person at just the right moment, and both of you would need significant open sores in your mouths.
Besides, it’s not like every other person walking down the street is positive, nor do people typically walk around with bleeding wounds on their legs.
The CDC is transmitted through blood, not saliva.
Essentially, for a kiss to be a risk, the infected person's blood would have to enter the other person's bloodstream through a wound.
I’d say those chances are incredibly slim.

lol, yeah, that’s exactly what I was getting at—the chance of even bumping into someone in that situation is low, and then the actual ways to catch it drop that percentage even further. But look, you see tons of teenagers doing those gross "love bites" on necks, right? Now imagine if that person happens to be CDC positive... and you've got a cut or a sore in your own mouth (and I don't just mean a bitten lip)...

northernpanther12 said:lol, yeah, that’s exactly what I was getting at—the chance of even bumping into someone in that situation is low, and then the actual ways to catch it drop that percentage even further. But look, you see tons of teenagers doing those gross "love bites" on necks, right? Now imagine if that person happens to be CDC positive... and you've got a cut or a sore in your own mouth (and I don't just mean a bitten lip)...

I think you're overreacting. Besides, with "love bites," you aren't actually ingesting blood; you’re just getting bruises on the skin.

If I were a parent watching my daughter head out into the real world, I’d be much more concerned about Hepatitis B and C. Those viruses are far more aggressive than HIV because, unlike HIV, which is incredibly fragile when exposed to the air, Hep can survive outside the body much longer, making it significantly easier to catch. I would absolutely make sure my kid was vaccinated against Hep B. Unfortunately, there’s no vaccine for Hep C.
On top of hepatitis, you’ve got mononucleosis, often called the "kissing disease." A lot of people who catch it deal with permanent immune system struggles, not to mention the lifelong dietary restrictions needed to protect a liver being taxed by the virus. That goes for the hepatitis viruses too.

So, folks, don't let yourselves lose sight of the forest for the trees. 😳