Is your pet’s mouth really cleaner than your own?

Most of us consider our pets to be a part of our families. In fact, nearly half of all homes have a dog and about one-third have a cat.  

That can mean a lot of cuddles and kisses, but is the old saying true? Is a pet’s mouth really cleaner than our own?

Fred Miller is a proud cat dad who takes Willie on daily walks.

“He’s 8, and he’s a cat who was born to be outside,” Miller said. “I’d like to just kiss him on the head like that because he’s a sweet boy.”

And when it comes to pets and their people, kisses often abound. With Clark the dachshund, his human Mikayla Kincart says she reluctantly allows kisses.

“I mean, I can’t say no, obviously,” Kincart said. “Like, if he snuck one right now I’d give him a couple, but then that’s it.”

And Freida, a mixed-breed, also gets kisses from dad Robert McElroy.

“She tries to, she licks my wife’s face,” McElroy said. “I avoid it, but she sneaks ’em in.”

Dr. Viviam Pignone works at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine and performs oral surgery on dogs. She said dogs, cats and their humans all have mouths full of bacteria. It’s just pets and humans have different kinds.

“It is important that you know a few things. For example, we have some bacterias that they can transfer to humans, like salmonella from the food and Pasteurella,” Pignone said. 

Pets can also transfer rabies to humans via saliva and, of course, bites.

“If they have good home care and don’t have periodontal disease, that’s the most common disease in our dogs or cats, it is OK,” she said. “If [your pets have] vaccines and all preventatives, then it is safe to do it.”

Pignone suggests brushing your pets teeth daily and getting a professional cleaning yearly.

She also said if you’re already sick, pregnant or have a weakened immune system, you could be more susceptible to catching a disease from your pet.

But again, if your cat or dog is healthy, kisses are encouraged.