If Kissing or Sex Leaves You Tingly, Is It Love or Allergies?

Even brushing your teeth – or waiting hours after eating may not prevent some partners of people with food and medicine allergies from triggering an allergic reaction through a kiss. “If you have food allergies, having an allergic reaction immediately after kissing someone who has eaten the food or taken oral medication that you are allergic to isn’t highly unusual,” said allergist Sami Bahna, MD. “But some patients react after their partner has brushed his or her teeth or several hours after eating. It turns out that their partners’ saliva is excreting the allergen hours after the food or medicine has been absorbed by their body.” "Kissing" allergies are most commonly found in people who have food or medication allergies. Symptoms include swelling of the lips or throat, rash, hives, itching and wheezing. Food allergies affect about 2 to 3 percent of adults and 5 to 7 percent of children in the U.S. population, or more than 7 million people. So what are lovebirds to do? . . read more.