Horses may suffer from many dental problems. The most common include:
Sharp enamel points forming on check teeth, causing lacerations of cheeks
and tongue
Retained caps (deciduous teeth that are not shed)
Discomfort caused by bit contact with the wolf teeth
Hooks forming on the upper and lower cheek teeth
Long and/or sharp canine (bridle) teeth interfering with insertion or removal
of the bit
Lost and/or broken teeth
Abnormally or uneven bite planes
Excessively worn teeth
Abnormal long teeth
Infected teeth and/or gums
Misalignment/poor apposition (can be due to congential defects or injury)
Periodontal (gum) disease
Recognizing Dental Problems
Horses with dental problems may show obvious signs, such as
pain or irritation, or they may show on noticeable signs at all. That is due
to the fact that some horses simply adapt to their discomfort. For this reason,
periodic dental examinations are essential. Indicators of dental problems include:
Loss of feed from mouth while eating, difficulty with chewing, or excessive
salivation
Loss of body condition
Large or undigested feed particles (long stems or whole grain) in manure
Head tilting or tossing, bit chewing , tongue lolling, fighting the bit,
or resisting bridling
Poor performance, such as lugging on the bridle, failing to turn or stop,
even bucking
Foul odor from mouth or nostrils, or traces of blood from the mouth.
Nasal discharge or swelling of the face, jaw, or mouth tissues
Oral exams should be an essential part of an annual physical
examination by a veterinarian. Every dental exam provides the opportunity to
perform routine preventative dental maintenance. The end result is a healthier,
more comfortable horse.
Floating & Preventative Maintenance
The process of rasping or filing a horse’s teeth is known as floating.
This is the most common dental procedure veterinarians perform on horses. Floating
removes sharp enamel points and can create a more even bite plane. It also helps
keep incisors and cheek teeth at a desirable length.
When turned out on pasture, horses browse almost continuously, picking up dirt
and grit in the process. This, plus the silicate in grass, wears down the teeth.
Stables horses, however, may not give their teeth the same workout. Feedings
are more apt to be scheduled, not continuous, and to include processed grains
and hays. Softer feeds require less chewing. This may allow the horse’s
teeth to become excessively long or to wear unevenly. Adult horse’s teeth
erupt throughout their life and are worn off by chewing.
Unfortunately, cheek teeth tend to develop sharp enamel points even under normal
grazing conditions. Because the horse’s lower jaw is narrower than its
upper jaw and the horse grinds its feed with a sideways motion, sharp points
tend to form along the edges. Points form on the cheek side of the upper teeth
and the tongue side of the lower teeth. These points should be rasped to prevent
them from cutting the cheeks and tongue. Floating is especially important in
horses who have lost a tooth, or whose teeth are in poor apposition and do not
fit together well. Normally, contact with the apposing tooth keeps biting surfaces
equal. When cheek teeth are out of alignment, hooks can form.
If left unchecked, these hooks can become long enough to penetrate the hard
or soft palate. Small hooks can be removed by floating. Longer hooks are usually
removed with molar cutters or a dental chisel.
Wolf Teeth
Wolf teeth are very small teeth located in front of the second premolar and
do not have long roots that set them firmly in the jaw bone. They rarely appear
in the lower jaw. A horse may have one, two, or no wolf teeth. While not all
wolf teeth are troublesome, veterinarians routinely remove them to prevent pain
or interference from a bit.
The Age Factor
The age of a horse affects the degree of attention and frequency of dental
care required. Consider these points:
Horses going into training for the first time, especially
2-and 3-year-olds, need a comprehensive dental check-up. Teeth should be
floated to remove any sharp points and checked for retained caps. Caps should
be removed if they have not been shed. This should be done before training
begins to prevent training problems related to sharp teeth.
Even yearlings have been found to have enamel points
sharp enough to damage cheek and tongue tissue. Floating may improve feed
efficiency and make them more comfortable.
Horses aged 2-5 may require more frequent dental exams
than older horses. Deciduous teeth tend to be softer than permanent teeth
and may develop sharp enamel points more quickly. Also, there is an extraordinary
amount of dental maturation during this period. Twenty-four teeth will be
shed and replaced during this time, with the potential for 12 to 16 teeth
to be erupting simultaneously. Horses in this age group should be examined
twice yearly, and any necessary procedures should be performed.
Even the dental program may not be able to solve or alleviate
all of a young horse’s teething discomfort.
Mature horses should get a thorough dental examination
at least once a year, whether or nor there are signs of tooth problems.
It is important to maintain an even bite plane during
a horse’s middle teens in order to ensure a level grinding surface
into its 20s. If you wait until the horse is in 20s, the surfaces may be
worn excessively and/or unevenly, and since the teeth are no longer erupting
at this age, alignment may be impossible.
Developing Greater Awareness
If a horse starts behaving abnormally, dental problems should be considered
as a potential cause.
Teeth should be floated and maintained as indicated by
an annual examination performed by an equine practitioner.
Wolf teeth are routinely extracted from performance horses
to prevent interference with the bit and its associated pain.
Sedatives, local anesthetics, and analgesics can relax
the horse and keep it more comfortable during floating and other dental
procedures. Such drugs should be administered only by a veterinarian.
Loose teeth are generally unhealthy teeth. If your equine
practitioner finds a loose tooth, he or she will likely extract it. This
reduces the chance of infection or other problems.
Canine teeth, generally present in mature geldings and
stallions and sometimes mares, are usually clipped and filed smooth to prevent
interference with the bit. This also reduces the possibility of injury to
both horse and human.
Depending on the condition of your horse’s teeth,
more than one visit from your equine practitioner may be required to get
the mouth in prime working order.
It is important to catch dental problems early. Waiting
too long may increase the difficulty of remedying certain conditions or
may even make rememdy impossible.
Older horses should have their teeth checked at least
twice yearly.
More Serious Dental Ailments
Serious dental conditions can develop, such as infections of
the teeth and gums, extremely long hooks on the molars, lost or fractured teeth,
and others. These conditions may require surgical treatment and/or extraction
by a veterinarian. Your equine practitioner can recommend the best treatment.
