Kissing Might Be Sweet… But It Could Also Spread Depression?

Just when you thought kissing was only risky for mono or bad breath, science decided to ruin date night again.

A new study out of Iran says depression and anxiety might actually be contagious — and not just emotionally. It turns out, bacteria might be playing matchmaker with your mental health.

Researchers discovered that couples who kiss share more than just love and lipstick.

They also swap up to 80 million bacteria in one 10-second kiss (!!!), which can seriously mess with the balance of bacteria in your mouth, especially when one partner is dealing with mental health struggles.

RELATED: The Real Reason Humans Started Kissing

High stress levels (and the cortisol that comes with them) can disrupt your oral microbiome. And when you lock lips regularly? That bacterial imbalance can spread.

The study found that spouses of people with poor mental health started to experience similar symptoms within six months. Yikes.

The usual suspects in this bacterial love triangle? Names like Clostridia, Veillonella, Bacillus and Lachnospiraceae. They may sound like new skincare ingredients, but some of them can actually harm your health, and potentially your mood.

To be clear: this doesn’t mean you should stop kissing your partner. But it does show how interconnected our health can be — mentally, physically, and microbially. (Also, maybe a reminder to brush your teeth…?)

So next time someone says “love is infectious,” they might not be wrong.