Here in the Pacific Northwest, we love our canine companions something fierce. In fact, dog-walking website Rover recently named Seattle the best place in the nation to own a dog. And of course, our good old emerald city is still famous for having more pooches than children
All of this news got us wondering: whose oral health do we take more seriously? Ours, or that of our dogs? And if we dive deeper into dental hygiene, are we humans really as clean as we think we are?
Bacteria in Our Mouths
Parents everywhere repeat the same warning to their children: don’t let the dog lick your face; or even worse, don’t share half of that ice cream cone with the family pet during a summer barbecue. Most of us consider a dog’s mouth a walking treasure trove of nasty bacteria. After all, dogs get into the kitchen trash, root around in backyard dirt, and otherwise nab all sorts of less-than-savory items with their snouts.
But is your dog’s mouth really dirtier than your own?
To answer this question, we first have to understand bacteria. Bacteria are tiny single-celled organisms, too small to see with the naked eye. In fact, these little guys are so small that a line of 1,000 could fit across a single pencil eraser. And they are everywhere. Bacteria live in soil, water, and one nearly every surface we encounter — including our own bodies, both inside and out.
Yuck, right?
Before you run off to scrub yourself head-to-toe with hand sanitizer, you should know that less than one percent of bacteria makes humans sick. Many types of bacteria actually help our immune systems. Bacteria live on the inside surface of our organs, protecting them from more harmful bacteria, and in our digestive systems to prevent infection.
But when left unchecked, some bacteria do cause infection and disease. When it comes to our mouths, the bacteria known as P. gingivalis is responsible for gum disease ranging from mild gingivitis to more advanced periodontitis, which has serious and lasting effects on our oral health.
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Who Has More Oral Bacteria: Humans or Dogs?
Researchers identified more than 700 different types of bacteria in the human mouth alone. This is fairly comparable to the number of unique bacteria types found in a dog’s mouth; our canine counterparts are known to have at least five hundred different types of bacteria in their mouths.
So the idea that a human’s mouth is cleaner than a dog’s? Sorry, but no. Your teeth, gums, and tongue are teeming with just as many bacteria as those of your old friend Spot.
The nuance here is that the bacteria in a human mouth differs quite a bit from that in a dog’s. As Colin Harvey, a Professor at University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, put it when he spoke to the American Kennel Club, comparing the two is “like comparing apples to oranges.”
Most bacteria found in a dog’s mouth is not zoonotic. In other words, it probably won’t give you a human disease even if it makes its way into your own mouth via a big sloppy dog kiss. With the exception of salmonella, and a few nasty items that can be picked up when a dog feasts in the kitty litter box, our sets of germs are mostly incompatible. All told, kissing a dog is actually less risky than kissing a human.
But don’t be dismayed by the new realization that your mouth is one big, walking germ factory. There are a few bright spots in all of this.
We Control Our Own Oral Health
Most veterinarians recommend having your dog’s teeth professionally cleaned about every six months. This surely sounds familiar because it is the same recommendation dentists make for most humans. (The ADA acknowledges that each patient has a unique set of oral health needs and recommends patients work with their dentists to determine an individual cleaning schedule.)
But unlike our furry friends, we humans have full control over our oral health. This starts with our ability to brush and floss daily, and continues with our ability to pick up the phone and schedule a dental cleaning. Thank you, opposable thumbs.
Dental Visits are Easy and Affordable
Unlike a dog, for which a tooth cleaning easily costs upwards of $500, we humans have it pretty good these days. Affordable health insurance is available on the open market in most states, including Washington State.
Also consider the trouble a dog goes through once it arrives at the dentist. Dogs are usually sedated and intubated, even for a standard cleaning. You and I, on the other hand, can sit through a cleaning appointment in relative ease. Lay back, relax, and know it will all be over in less than an hour. These days, many dentists even have a movie screen running right on the ceiling to help you pass the time.
Humans Understand the Importance of Good Oral Hygiene
Unlike your family pet, you understand the importance of consistent oral hygiene. Seeing a dentist regularly is one of the best ways to protect your teeth, gums, and mouth from disease.
Good oral hygiene also keeps your smile looking its best and, let’s face it, your breath smelling a whole lot fresher than that of your dog.
