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Is it bad to kiss a baby on the lips? Babies like to be kissed, but we don’t like them
being made sick from it.
It is fair to say that someone could kiss the baby on the cheek or the forehead, but
a kiss on the lips has to wait another 16 years.
Toddlers sometimes like to kiss people on the mouth like they see adults do.
And toddlers by definition don’t know what is best for them.
Is it actually harmful? Or just gross?
They found that digestive tract bacteria migrate from mother to child. Even worse, the bacteria
that cause cavities are spread through mouth to mouth contact.
But everyone picks up those bacteria at some point. And you can’t say that it was from
the baby putting his hands in the mother’s mouth before putting them in his own mouth.
It is reasonable to tell people not to kiss your baby on the lips. They could give your
infant cold sores, HPV or even their cold.
Speaking of spreading germs, I need to tell more people to wash their hands before picking
up the baby.
And it sounds strange to ask them to also brush their teeth before picking up the baby.
Much less asking them to wash their mouths out with soap.
Well, for some people, that might be appropriate. Or threaten to do so if they don’t watch
their language.
It won’t matter to the baby except that someone is talking to him or her.
You’ve never had a baby repeat a curse word excitedly, proud to have learned a new word.
Is it better or worse than being kissed on the lips?
A baby using a new word could be corrected or taught new words. A baby with a cold sore
and pacifier is a guaranteed bad night’s sleep for everyone, and nothing you say could
make it better.