Is A Dog's Mouth Really Cleaner Than A Human's Mouth?

It’s a common myth that the mouth of a dog is cleaner than the mouth of a human. But is there any truth to that old wives tale? Well, let’s get the simple part out of the way: it’s not true!

Think about it. Look at what your dog eats, licks, and does with their mouth! Consider how often you brush their teeth! How can any of that compare to the careful dental maintenance that a human does every day?

But why did this myth even originate? Here are some probable sources:

Dogs don’t get that many cavities. When you consider the fact that 90% of school children dealt with tooth decay in 2003 according to the WHO while only 5% of dogs ever have this problem, it’s easy to draw a comparison. But the reason for this is because a dog’s saliva is too alkaline for S. mutans, the bacteria responsible for decay.

Dogs lick their wounds. If dogs lick their wounds automatically to clean it, it must be clean, right? Wrong! All they’re doing is cleaning out dirt and dead cells, and licking can still lead to infection if done in excess.

Humans don’t get infections from their bites. Rabies aside, humans don’t usually get germs from dog bites that develop into infections.

But all of that doesn’t change the fact that dog mouths are dirtier! They have many more bacteria colonies in their mouths. Basically, trying to compare a human’s mouth and a dog’s mouth just doesn’t work. It’s like apples and oranges!

Feature Image Source: Pixabay