Dr. Michael Awua-Mensah, a licensed, professional dentist at the Dentoc Dental clinic, has educated on dental hygiene and types of diseases that can be transferred through kissing.
As part of the World Kissing Day commemoration by GMABC on July 6th, Dr. Awua was interviewed on the Myd-Morning Radio Show (MMRS) by host, Rev. Erskine to discuss dental hygiene in relation with kissing.
He educated that when a person does not take proper care of their teeth or their mouth, they can transfer certain diseases to their partner through kissing. Some of these diseases according to him, are infectious mononucleosis also known as kissing disease, influenza, Covid-19, meningitis, mumps, polio, rubella and herpes.
Herpes, which refers to the cold blisters that usually appear on people’s lips and are usually said to be associated with fever or malaria, according to the dentist, is the most common.
“Herpes becomes a bit serious when you’re immunocompromised so when you’re stressed, your immune system comes down and the herpes picks up, and that is how you end up seeing blisters on people’s lips”, he said.
Dr. Awua-Mensah noted that when the herpes is caused by an active disease, then it is more severe, hence, can be transferred through kissing. “If someone has it on their lips and you kiss the person, the chances of getting it is quite high”, he further warned.
By: Maureen Dedei Quaye
