Kissing your child, is it dangerous?

If for some people kissing their baby or child on the mouth is a sign of natural and spontaneous affection, for others it is an ambiguous and unhealthy practice. Apart from this continual debate, physicians stress the dangerousness of this habit that many parents take. Indeed, according to Dr. Richard Marques, kissing your child on the mouth is strongly discouraged because the shock of mouth to mouth could damage his teeth. Asked by The Independent, the famous English dentist explains: “Baby teeth have a different type of enamel and dentin than adult teeth. Enamel is much thinner on baby’s teeth. It is not as strong as adult enamel, so it is more likely to break down“. The doctor also recalls that the transfer of saliva promotes the spread of bacteria, such as streptococcus mutans for example. This bacteria can in particular cause decay on a baby tooth or even”affect soft tissue and gums before baby teeth have developed“, continues Dr Richard Marques.

Sometimes fatal illnesses for the baby

Kissing a child on the mouth is even more dangerous if it is still just an infant. Because the baby’s immune system is more fragile, it is more likely to contract sometimes fatal diseases such as herpes. The younger an infant, the more difficult, if not impossible, it is to fight a virus like this. Indeed, theoral herpes of adults can cause fatal meningitis and encephalitis, an inflammation of a part of the brain that can leave serious damage, even lead to the death of the baby. In order to avoid the risk of contamination, the doctor therefore calls on parents and their relatives to refrain from kissing the baby on the mouth during his first weeks of life. Other precautions to take: wash your hands well before touching the infant, do not clean the pacifier with saliva or use the same cutlery.

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An impact on future sentimental life

Another dangerous aspect: the psychological one. Indeed, some psychiatrists and psychologists warn about the impact that this could have on the intimate and sentimental life of the child in the future. The little ones are built by imitation. Thus, giving a kiss on the mouth of his parents can “Create confusing emotional ties for them”, according to psychologist Charlotte Reznick, interviewed by Oh MyMag.

Same story for the child psychiatrist Stéphane Clerget, with RMC. For the expert, “The kiss on the mouth must remain the privilege of lovers”. It is explained: “It’s up to parents to educate children and not the other way around. It is therefore up to the parents to show the limits (…) The child begins to perceive the difference in kisses, to perceive the social meaning of the kiss on the mouth from 3 years old. However, we adults know very well what that means, we know the difference. I wouldn’t mind if parents kissed their child on the mouth if they did the same with the neighbor, the neighbor or the nanny. If they don’t, it is because they know that kissing your child on the mouth is special. They wouldn’t let the nanny or the neighbor do it. So why don’t they themselves put limits? “. Stéphane Clerget recommends establishing them as soon as possible so that the child “Become aware that there are areas in your body that are sacred, sexualized”.