Aw, your puppy loves you...TO DEATH...LITERALLY. Just kidding, it's not that bad. But, DNews has looked into whether we should be sharing saliva with our pups or letting our doggies lick our wounds, and the answer seems to be more or less "no."
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It's been said that dog mouths are cleaner than human mouths. This is not true.
There are hundreds of species of bacteria in dogs' mouths and only about 16% of those overlap with humans.
Saliva from dogs can even cause gingivitis and periodontal disease! P. Gulae is very rare in humans, but common in dogs — 16% of dog owners were shown to have it!
“There’s even some bacteria in dogs' mouths that’s anti-bacteria resistant. Meaning, if it were to spread to humans, we would have trouble treating it.”
"Both human and dog saliva have anti-bacterial properties. They’re basic, but play a part in wound licking. That doesn’t mean you should let your pet lick your wound though!"
Letting a dog lick your wound can lead to you getting Pasteurella. It can be treated with antibiotics, but it can also help pave the way for more serious infections.
Overall, though, face-licking is not really that bad for you. But don't forget that exchanging saliva sends some new bacteria your dog's way, too!
