Can a person get HIV by kissing?
There has been one reported case of HIV transmission where a woman became infected by deep kissing a man with AIDS. The man reported his gums often bled after brushing and flossing his teeth and that after this activity, the couple often engaged in deep kissing and protected sex. Although HIV transmission most likely occurred during deep kissing, it was probably the blood in the man’s saliva, not his saliva alone, that caused the infection. Both the man and the women had gum disease which may have contributed to the woman becoming infected. Trace amounts of HIV have been found in the saliva of some people with AIDS. However, to date there have been no cases of HIV transmission through exposure to saliva alone. Casual kissing, such as between parents and children, has not transmitted HIV.
