#oralfixation

A vampire's mouth anatomy is a system that is fine-tuned to feast on their Flock undetected and is able to heal just as much as it harms.

The salivary glands of the vampire produce anesthetic, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory compounds that are released upon tasting blood. This ensures that when combined with proper aftercare, infection risk and recovery time is minimized as much as possible. This overall reduces the likelihood of prey getting sick and the vampire being detected. There is also evidence that vampire saliva has some aphrodisiac qualities, though this "evidence" is mostly collected through anecdotes of self-important braggers.

These compounds can also be used in ways that solely benefit the Flock. In fact, it is generally good practice to orally tend other wounds your prey might have while you have them under control to Feed. Superficial wounds can be kissed away as if they never happened. Larger gashes or lacerations can be cleaned and stabilized until they can be brought to a professional. That paper cut on your finger can stop hurting just as quickly as it started, come here.

The teeth of the vampire are just as important, if not more. Most often the vampire will have a set of two sharp cuspids (we neglect to call them canines) on the top jaw, though there is variation between individuals. The vampire does not "inject venom" or suck blood through the teeth. Many vampires have their own technique for minimizing bite wound size, such as pinching the skin between top and bottom cuspids on one side of the mouth. It is important to floss and brush often as a vampire to maintain good feeding hygiene. A dirty mouth could compromise the efficacy of your innate healing ability.

Finally, the tongue provides a mechanical anticoagulant that ensures a bite wound does not clot during feeding. There is no need for the vampire's saliva to contain any anticoagulants when the vampire can lap at the bite wound to keep it open. The tongue is also hyper-calibrated to taste the different components of blood, which is what causes vampires to lose their taste for mortal human foods. Even the most freshly fledged of vampires can identify their prey's general health, emotional state, if foreign substances are present, and "essence", a term that is hotly debated among vampires.