Is a dogs mouth really cleaner than a humans?

Answer 1

All dogs lick themselves. Some eat their own feces. Humans (most of 'em, anyway) do not. So how in the world can the mouth of a canine be cleaner than that of a person? Simple -- it can't.
According to ABC News, this is basically an urban legend. However, unlike the one about the psycho killer with the hook, this story has a grain of truth. Although the mouth of a typical dog is full of bacteria, it's "species specific." So, if a dog were to lick a person, most of the germs wouldn't transfer. "Bottom line -- you're more likely to get a serious illness from kissing a person than kissing a dog."

The myth may have stemmed from the way pups lick their wounds. A dog's tongue gets rid of dead tissue so wounds heal faster. Perhaps folks concluded that dog saliva is "healthy." Hardly the case, but you shouldn't be afraid of licks. They might be gross, but they're not dangerous.

Answer 2

I've often heard the rational for saying a dog's mouth is cleaner than a humans is that a bite from a person is more likely to cause infection than that of a dog bite. Below is something that seems to support this claim. It also mentions that we're talking about relative cleanliness. Many bacteria become species specific (which is why many bacterial based animal diseases are not transmittable to humans). Therefore, a bite from a dog does not always infect us with bacteria that is likely to attack a human system.

Of course, this also depends on how recently a dog had a decaying squirrel in his mouth (the example given in this site)

Then again, I remember in college hearing something about another study that suggested that the only time human bites were more likely to cause infection is when the bite is on the hand, which is already very bacteria laden. The shape of the human bite (flat rows of teeth) opens a larger area for bacteria on the bit person's hand to contaminate the bite.

Answer 3

True story - we were eating dinner with my grandpa when he took the spoon out of the gravy, ladled some gravy onto the dog's dry food, stirred it with the spoon, put the spoon back in the gravy and proceeded to eat dinner. We yelled, "Grandpa, that spoon was in the dog's food!" He said, "Why are you so upset? A dog's mouth is cleaner than a humans." We told him that we didn't care........

Answer 4

Its sorta complicateed....if we use man feces as fertilizers...we have to wait aboug 3-5 years to use that land. Since the diseases take that long to die out.

So then with dogs...it has something to do with their saliva / chemicals in it. Dogs are made to eat poop. If you see a wild dog....thats what it does...it eats poop.

Yes, so tehcinally a dog's mouth is cleanr than a huams...it has to ability to break down chemical compounds that are hazardous to humans bette rthan dogs.

To be honest...its is extremely complicated..and i can write a 50 page paper to try to explain the basics on this to you.

Comes down to the princples of chemistry.


Its something to do with the acidity of their saliva.

Ok so if somethign is clean...it means **** can't infect them.

Answer 5

Man thats a toss up.. I've seen wher peoples mouths have been and i've seen where my dogs has been too...
thats an even money bet....

Answer 6

Looking at where my dog occupies her time licking I'd say NO!

Answer 7

yes its got something weird on their tongue which makes the dogs tongue cleaner!

Answer 8

Why don't you French kiss your dog and find out?

Answer 9

Another Myth!!

Answer 10

I wouldnt bank on it