If you’re talking to a young person about managing their food allergies, one of the more awkward things you might need to discuss is kissing. That’s because they could be at risk of an allergic reaction if the person they want to kiss has recently consumed their allergen.
Kissing and allergies
Graham Roberts is Professor of Paediatric Allergy and Respiratory Medicine at the University of Southampton and he is an expert on supporting teens to become more independent in managing their allergies. We asked him if kissing posed a risk to people with allergies in one of our expert Q&As.
Is there a risk?
Professor Roberts says there is a “real risk” of the allergen getting transferred, particularly if it’s the sort of food that can get trapped between someone’s teeth, such as nuts. His advice is to speak to the person you hope to kiss and to explain about your allergy. His advice is that the “optimum way” of removing food allergens from the mouth is for the person to brush their teeth.
Any tips for having that awkward conversation?
“You might need to get to know each other before that first kiss!” says Professor Roberts. “So yeah, it’s difficult, but then again, you don’t want your first kiss to end up as an allergic reaction.”
He adds, “I can’t remember ever hearing that a kiss has caused an allergic reaction. Maybe my patients haven’t confessed that to me. It is a possibility, and people need to think about it.”
More on teens, independence and allergies
Family Members of The Allergy Team can watch the whole Q&A with Professor Roberts. He answers questions about supporting young people to become more independent managing their alleriges, when is the “right time” for children to start carrying their own medication and how to support young people to navigate peer pressure, teenage risk-taking and socialising.
