If you are like most people, you probably dislike going to the dentist, but don’t let that stop you from getting timely dental care for your horse. The way that horses chew, grinding their teeth, up to forty-thousand times a day as they munch on stemmy forage and grain, places strain and stress on their teeth and jaws.
Dental care - Good for humans; good for horses
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.
© 2017 by Melinda Nagy New window.
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.
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.
During the chewing process, the horse's teeth grind down developing sharp edges that can injure tender tissues in the mouth, leading to sores and inhibiting proper chewing.
Teeth may crack, the tongue can become sore, and mouth infections may affect normal eating functions. Because dental problems can prevent food from being properly eaten, other digestive conditions can result and lead to weight loss and failure to thrive.
In addition to forage and grain, horses chew on their metal bits and on nonfood items such as wood, stone, trees, and plastic. This activity often causes further damage to the teeth or causes them to grow unevenly, resulting in sharp points, edges, and spurs that can injure the horse's mouth and make chewing painful.
Signs of dental problems include bad breath, drooling and behaviors such as resisting the bit, head tossing and swollen areas in the mouth.
Make sure you check your horse's teeth on a regular basis. By noticing any changes in dental surfaces or eating habits, you can be proactive in making sure your horse gets needed dental care. These issues can tip owners off to call their veterinarian. Better still, schedule regular dental examinations and floatings based on the advice of your veterinarian or equine dentist.
Scheduling regular oral examinations and keeping on top of routine veterinary procedures before a problem begins should help keep your horse grazing happily and in tip-top condition.
Article is a repost of an earlier article by Angela Hawker of Cambridge Equine Hospital