One of the most common conditions in human dentistry is the development of dental caries or cavities. According to some statistics fully 90% of school children develop dental caries or tooth decay. One look inside my mouth reveals thousands of dollars worth of dental work, most of it done by the time I left college.
On the other hand, only about 5% of dogs and even fewer cats develop classic dental caries like people. Why the difference? There are a couple of interesting facts that explain this discrepancy.
You may have heard the old expression that a dog's mouth is actually cleaner than a person's mouth. That's not exactly true. The oral cavities of people, dogs and cats all contain vast quantities of bacteria. Most of these bacteria are harmless but some can cause problems.
There is one species in particular that resides in your mouth and my mouth that is noticeably absent from Fido or Fluffy's mouth. This species of bacteria, known as
S. mutans, feeds on large sugar molecules breaking them down into smaller molecules. This chemical reaction produces acid as a by-product and S. mutans thrives in the more acid environment of the human mouth compared to the relatively alkaline dog or cat mouth.
It's the combination of acid, saliva and food particles that result in plaque that may eventually erode the teeth of children, leading to dental caries.
Besides the absence of S mutans, the typical diet of the dog and cat play a role in this process, too. Most pets don't eat a sugar rich diet. While there are carbohydrates in the diets of both dogs and cats they are not high in simple sugars like glucose or sucrose. We don't allow our pets to drink sugar laced soft drinks or placate them with candy. Hence the substrate for acid production is missing in our pet's mouths.
Interestingly enough, some veterinary dental specialists see a higher level of dental caries in dogs fed high sugar treats.
All that being said, the same
process that leads to gingivitis and periodontal disease in people is virtually identical in pets. That's why we need to pay attention to dental hygiene in both dogs and cats as we've discussed in previous posts.
So, the next time you get a big wet kiss from your dog it may be slightly better for you than the same thing from another person. Unless, of course, that person just ate a dead squirrel.