Is Your Dog Hazardous to Your Health?

We love our dogs.

And with good reason. Dogs are loyal, loving, respectful, dependable, faithful… Well, I could go on telling you what you already know but I believe it’s time you knew just one more trait man’s best friend has.

They may be hazardous to your health.

There’s an old adage that claims a dog’s mouth is cleaner than a human’s. We like to believe that because we love our dogs, but If you have a dog, you know that can’t be true. Dogs eat cat droppings, vomit and they consistently lick their—well, you know.

And most importantly, science has categorically dismissed that old saw as untrue. A dog’s mouth is a breeding ground for bacteria that, if transmitted to humans, can lead to serious illness

If you’ve followed this blog for any amount of time you’ve learned that better than half of all physical ailments can be traced back to periodontal disease.

Have some tartar build up? A loose tooth? A small cavity?

These are all portals to your bloodstream, because poor oral health leads to lesions in the gums, allowing bacteria into the body. This causes inflammation of the organs and their eventual breakdown.

So if you kiss your dog on the mouth or allow them to lick your mouth, expect to spend some time in your doctor’s office and perhaps even a hospital bed.

This is not meant to single dog’s out. The same warning goes for a cat or even a loved one who you regularly kiss on the mouth.

You may truly love your spouse, children or parents, but if they have gum disease, get them to a dentist. It will very likely avoid serious health problems in the future.

What you also need to know is that people with periodontal disease are far more likely to suffer from postoperative infection because of an already compromised auto-immune system.

Here are some tips to avoid periodontal disease.

1. Don’t kiss your pet or allow them to lick your mouth.
2. If you kiss someone whom you suspect has gum disease, rinse with a strong mouthwash like Listerine as soon as possible.
3. Before becoming physically involved with someone make sure they visit their doctor and dentist on a regular basis. If they don’t take care of their own health, they certainly aren’t going to be concerned about yours.
4. If one of your teeth suddenly becomes loose, see your dentist immediately.

And lastly, begin taking your oral health seriously if you don’t already. Brush at least twice a day, floss or use an oral irrigator and rise with a fluoride mouthwash.

It is strongly suggested that you use an oral irrigator like the Oral Breeze because it’s powerful stream of water can blast away the hidden food particles flossing will likely miss.