Expert: Walter Hintz - 2/24/2007

Question
Is a dog's mouth cleaner than a human's mouth?

Answer
Hi Trent
I get this question a lot.  The problem is that "cleaner" is a relative term.
Does a dogs mouth have more germs that a humans? There is not much difference.
Does a dogs mouth have more germs that can infest a human?
Probably not.
I worked in a hospital emergency room many years ago.  People who came in with an untreated  human bite were more likely to have an infection then those with a dog bite.
 But any idea that a dog bite is not dangerous is nonsense.  I read with horror where a mother was wiping a baby's face with dog saliva. Everytime I see a dog licking a child's face I shudder.