Dog Health, Dog Questions, Dogs

How Clean Is A Dog’s Mouth?

how-clean-is-a-dogs-mouth

If you get slobbery kisses and licks from your favorite canine, you’re not alone. Dogs love to show affection to their owners.

Yet it raises the question; is dog’s mouth clean? The topic is polarizing. Many insist a dog’s mouth is not clean. Others believe it is cleaner than a human’s. Now, we get to the truth of the matter. Let’s talk about what goes on in your pooch’s chops.

 

How Clean Is It?

“A dog’s mouth is nine times cleaner than a human’s.” This old wives tale has circulated for decades. Both science and common sense disagree.

Like humans, there’s a lot of little activity going on. There are millions of bacteria and fungus of different types. Each type has a positive, negative or neutral impact on the oral health of the animal.

Other factors affect cleanliness. Have you also considered where your dog has been? The more exposed they are to outdoors, the more bacteria they accumulate. They dig, bite small animals, and even bite their own poop. They also lick their genital areas, and that of other dogs, without hesitation.

This constant activity outdoors means that it could pick up additional germs that are unsafe. They also lick these germs off themselves, transferring them to their mouths. In essence, the dog’s activity and environment impact oral health. But in a nutshell, your dog’s mouth is not clean.

There must be some facts to base the theory on. It could be that dogs have fewer bacteria than humans. It’s also known their saliva can prevent tooth decay and aid with digestion. It fights surface level bacteria when they lick themselves or a wound. We will touch on this later.

 

What Are The Germs Like?

There are over 600 types of germs you can find in their mouths. This is no different from humans, who in fact have more. What’s different is the type of bacteria you can find in your pooch’s jaw.

Dogs have hundreds of types that are native to them and what they pick up from their surroundings. Only 30 of these germs are biologically related to humans.
For example, you can find Porphyromonas gulae. This bacteria that are most visible and responsible for diseases like gum disease and periodontal disease. An excess of these germs can cause teeth to fall out and can even translate to heart disease.

There are other bacteria considered safer, like Neisseria, responsible for breaking down sugars. Actinomyces is also a similar bacteria to humans, responsible for plaque buildup and abscesses in their mouths.

These germs are present even in the cleanest dog’s mouth. They are present in the cleanest human’s. So a dog’s mouth is not always clean, but that does not mean it is unsafe. Thousands of dog owners get licks and kisses from their pets every day. So a kiss from man’s best friend is fine.

 

An Extreme Case Of Bad Germs

There have been some extreme cases where a germ Capnocytophaga caused severe infections in humans. The cases in the world stemmed from older persons with weak immune systems. These caused sepsis and even amputation of limbs. This is a rare occurrence, but it wouldn’t hurt washing your face after excessive contact. The Capnocytophaga germ is in one of four dogs and cats.

Another rare case involves your dog eating raw meat and transferring salmonella.

 

So Are Their Mouths Cleaner Than A Human?

Humans have long thought a dog’s mouth is cleaner than a human’s. We should not really compare the two. They are both made up of different components for different uses. Both are also hotbeds for bacteria.

This theory came about because of the dog’s ability to lick its wounds. As stated before, many believe that the saliva of dogs has healing properties. This is not the case. Dogs lick themselves to remove dirt in their wounds. They also remove some surface bacteria, but the immune system does most of the heavy lifting.

We also think their mouths are cleaner than ours because we don’t get sick swapping saliva. For example, if we have the flu, we can’t transfer it to dogs, and vice versa. That’s because the germs that are in dogs are not transferable to humans.

Add the fact that studies have shown that dogs contain more bacteria in their mouths per square foot than humans. That sounds plausible as dogs use their mouths to bite and lick anything.

Finally, we can conclude they are no cleaner than humans due to the possible diseases from bites. Between 10 to 15 dog bites get infected, according to a study by the American Association of Paediatrics. Viruses like Rabies, tetanus, and ecoli are all transferable if bitten by a contaminated dog.

 

Four Ways To Keep Your Dog’s Mouth Clean

We’ve concluded that although it’s not as clean as we think. Yet it is generally safe for our dogs to lick us. We should make sure we keep it that way by cleaning it from time to time.

The easiest method is to apply a damp cloth to your fingers and wipe the inside of the mouth. For an extra clean, add some baking soda or salt water.

Get a dog-friendly toothpaste that you can use in your dog’s mouth a few times a month. Get them accustomed to the process. Then using a canine toothbrush, you can clean its teeth and gums. Teeth and gums hold large amounts of bacteria that contribute to poor oral health.

Keep your dog’s environment clean. Make sure you pick up any droppings and keep clean water and food around at all times.

Finally, safely manage their oral health. Have your vet check your dog’s oral health a few times a year. They can let you know of any issues. They will recommend a cleaner or proceed to clean the dog’s mouth themselves.

 

So Is It Clean? Here’s The Short Answer

Despite the claims of many, a dog’s mouth is not clean. It contains hundreds of bacteria that can affect its health if not cared for. It’s also not cleaner than humans. It does not mean all dogs are unsafe. Like humans, extra care means that it can increase the safety of itself and others it contacts.

 

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