Dental health is important to you, and that fox at the gym seems to have noticed. You brush twice a day, floss every night and visit your dentist regularly. But be careful – if you think those butterflies in your stomach may soon lead to smooches, then you should find out if they do as many reps with a toothbrush as they do working out.

Gingivitis is the earliest form of gum disease and is usually the result of poor oral hygiene.  When you don’t brush and floss regularly you are allowing bacteria to build up on your teeth, forming gingivitis: inflammation of the gums.

Research has shown that a perfectly healthy mouth will show signs of gingivitis in less than three weeks without brushing.  Dentists can usually detect gingivitis before you even notice discomfort, so regular visits to the dentist will help keep your mouth (and that cutie’s mouth) happy and healthy.

So what does this have to do with kissing? The same bacteria that creates gingivitis is passed through saliva. Not that we want to ruin your next liplock, but whatever is going on in their mouth can easily head over to yours. And just because he greeted you with a minty fresh hello doesn’t mean his teeth should be anywhere near yours; some mouthwashes just mask problems instead of fixing them.

Now, you don’t need to start having first dates at the dentist’s office (although we are in full support of that idea), but you might want to sneak in some oral health questions before you lean in for that first kiss.

After all, your teeth are forever.