Is a Dog’s Mouth Cleaner Than a Human’s?

We've lost count of how many times we've heard that a dog's mouth is much cleaner than a human's, and that its saliva acts as an antiseptic on wounds. Do you honestly believe that?

Let's explain how bacteria in a dog's mouth actually work, to put this absurd myth to rest once and for all. Don't be surprised if you read something you don't like, because we'll only be telling the truth here.

Is a Dog's Mouth Clean?

A dog's mouth contains a huge amount of bacteria — a bacterial flora living in its mouth that, however, isn't harmful to the dog.

Humans also have bacterial flora in our mouths, though considerably less, since we brush our teeth and use mouthwash.

That said, the bacteria living in a dog's mouth have nothing to do with the bacteria humans have in ours. Every animal species has its own bacterial flora, different from every other living being's.

So the answer is a clear, resounding NO — a dog's mouth is nowhere near cleaner than a human's. On top of that, the bacteria a dog has in its mouth are harmful to humans, and can cause us infections.

Does Dog Saliva Act as an Antiseptic?

Another big myth is the one claiming dog saliva can heal wounds, acting as an antiseptic and preventing infections.

Nothing could be further from the truth — if a dog licks one of our wounds, it'll cause a serious infection, since its bacteria are very harmful to humans and other animals.

When a dog gets hurt and licks itself, it's not doing it to heal — it's cleaning the wound to prevent infection. Its saliva has no healing power, not even in dogs themselves — it's just an urban legend.

So... Is It Bad for a Dog to Lick Me?

Yes and no — things aren't black or white; they can also be gray. If a dog licks our hands or face, it's probably doing it because it feels affection toward us (or because we smell like food).

That's not harmful to us humans at all. That said, if we have an open wound, or if our dog licks us on the mouth, we do run a real risk of getting an infection.

Stay away from those false rumors claiming nothing happens if a dog kisses you on the mouth — you might get lucky and nothing happens, but you might also develop a serious infection.

How to Keep a Dog's Mouth Clean?

Honestly, this is completely impossible — dogs will always have a huge amount of bacteria in their mouth, bacteria harmful to other animal species like humans.

That said, although we can't eliminate them, we can reduce them by maintaining good oral hygiene for our dog. To do this, just follow these tips:

• Keep your dog's mouth free of tartar — tartar causes infections even in its own mouth.
• Brush your dog's teeth with a brush and toothpaste specifically for dogs (human toothpaste is very poisonous to them).
• Prevent it from eating other animals' feces or dead bugs.
• Do the recommended vet checkups, even just to confirm everything's fine.

Following these steps, we'll keep its mouth cleaner than usual, but under no circumstances should we think or claim it'll be cleaner than a human's.