An article written by Angela Hawker, DVM, of Cambridge Equine Hospital explains the importance of dental care for horses and points out that by the time a horse begins to loose weight, drop feed, or show other signs of dental problems, any issues with the horse's mouth are quite advanced.
Horse teeth - An ever-changing situation
Horse owners are becoming aware of the importance of regular maintenance of a horse’s mouth for ensuring efficient feed utilization and continued performance.
The field of dental care in horses is rapidly expanding. Increasingly people are becoming aware of the importance of regular maintenance of a horse’s mouth, not only for ensuring efficient feed utilization but for continued performance.
Equine teeth erupt continuously at 2-3mm per year throughout a horse’s life. Because of this continuous eruption, any teeth which are out of alignment with opposing teeth will develop overgrowths as there is nothing to wear them down. This may be more likely in horses with parrot mouths. These animals often develop ‘hooks’ on the front of the first upper cheek teeth and the back of the last lower cheek teeth. These hooks can interfere with the normal chewing cycle and also stop the upper and lower teeth sliding past each other when the horse’s head changes position, which can cause discomfort.
Because the upper teeth are set more widely than the lower jaw, normal wear on the teeth tends to produce sharp points on the cheek side of the upper teeth and the tongue side of the lower. These can be so sharp that they cause deep ulcers and pain, particularly when a noseband presses the cheeks into the teeth.
In young horses dental check-ups should be performed six monthly to ensure corrections are performed before they cause a major problem with discomfort especially related to the bit. It is important to have a thorough dental examination performed before a young horse is broken in. This is the time when they are introduced to the bit and bridle and also a time that there are many changes occurring with the teeth.
Pain from sharp enamel points or loose caps can cause problems in training if the horse is distracted by mouth pain and doesn’t respond appropriately. ‘Bit seating’ which is rounding of the front edge of the front cheek teeth can greatly improve ridden behavior in some horses.
A common misconception is that there will be some outward sign of a dental problem. By the time a horse starts to lose weight, drop feed or show other signs, the problem can be quite advanced
By Angela Hawker of Cambridge Equine Hospital September 12 2012