Get To Know Your Dog’s Mouth
As a pet parent, you likely no longer think twice about giving your pup a kiss, and you love it when they give you one back! Your dog's mouth is a tool they use every day to eat, drink, lick, bark, and catch.
While others may shudder to think about puppy teeth, tongues, and slobber, we’re here to dive into the interesting place that is your dog’s mouth and teach you a bit more about your canines’ canines!
Dogs Have More Teeth Than Humans
Adult dogs typically have 42 teeth while most humans have only 32. Like us, dogs have two sets of teeth in their lifetime and lose their puppy teeth, also called milk teeth, to make room for their adult teeth. While human children lose their baby teeth over several years, this loss of milk teeth only takes a couple of weeks!
Dog Mouths Are Not Cleaner Than Human Mouths
There is a misconception that dog mouths are cleaner than human mouths. In reality, comparing the two mouths makes little sense as both humans and dogs have around 600 different types of bacteria in their mouths. So, while you may be okay sharing a cup of water with your pup, know that their tongue is not much cleaner than yours!
Dog Cavities Are Rare
Because of the different types of bacteria in a dog's mouth, their teeth are much less likely to develop cavities. Additionally, pups don’t consume nearly as much sugar as we humans do!
Dogs Have Less Taste Buds Than Humans
Humans have about 10,000 taste buds that allow us to sense a variety of tastes. It’s estimated that your dog has only about 1,700 taste buds! But don’t feel too bad for your pet, as they rely more heavily on their strong sense of smell to choose their preferred foods.
Some Dogs Drool More Than Others
It may come as no surprise that certain breeds of dogs give wetter kisses than others. Breeds with loose skin around their mouths aren’t able to control their saliva as well as other dogs.
Here are some of the more slobbery breeds:
- St. Bernard
- Great Dane
- Newfoundland
- Boxer
- Basset Hound
Even if your pup's mouth isn’t as clean as you would have hoped, or their slobbery kisses make a mess, we are sure you love them no matter what! If you’re looking for a team of dog-lovers to take care of your pet while you’re at work or traveling, find a Camp Bow Wow location near you!