Horse health - The equine dentist.

Your equine dentist is neither a new phenomenon; nor another modern invention. Tooth rasps and other equipment for looking after horse teeth were produced as long ago as the 19th Century.

About horse teeth
Horses age & teeth grow
The equine dentist
Horse teeth terms

During the period when the horse was our only form of transport, vets routinely floated (rasped) the horses teeth knowing that it was important to keep the horses mouth comfortable.

Horses and ponies need regular checking by a qualified equine dentist. Without correct dental care teeth problems can lead to behavioural problems, lack of performance and loss of condition.

Young horses should be checked to ensure that teeth are normal and are developing as they should. Then once your horses permanent teeth start coming through you should ensure that they too are correct. This is most important before your horse is introduced to the bit or started on their ridden careers.

Regular check ups should follow on throughout their life, and the equine dentist will ensure that your horse stays comfortable and happy in his mouth.

And.... don't forget that when your horse retires his teeth will still need attention, so that he is able to process food and forage well into his old age.

Horse teeth are often used to estimate age.

It was this that give rise to the old sayings 'long in the tooth' and 'Don't look a gift horse in the mouth'.

As a normal adult your horse has a minimum of 36 teeth. Your horse may also have up to four wolf teeth and/or canines.

All horses should have :

Six front teeth in the upper jaw, and six in the lower jaw.

These are called Incisors (biting teeth). and are used for tearing grass and other forage
The pair in the middle are called centrals.
The next pair on either side are the laterals,
The outer teeth are called corners.

Behind the incisors lie the powerful molars (cheek teeth).

Three pre-molars on each side of both jaws and three permanent molars, used for grinding food.
The grinding surfaces are called tables. They tilt downwards and outwards at 10-15 degrees.

The upper jaw is about 25% wider than the lower jaw, which moves in a circular motion, bringing the cheek teeth tables into contact.

An adult horse has 24 permanent molars. while an immature horse has only 12 temporary molars.

Top 7 reasons why your horses teeth needs regular treatment.

Horses' teeth erupt throughout their lives.

The upper jaw is 30% wider than the lower jaw,

Normal use can create sharp points on the cheek surface of the upper teeth and on the tongue surface of the lower jaw. These points can cause discomfort, pain and even lacerations in the mouth and can hinder performance in the working horse.

A horses diet is mainly roughage, so horses need teeth of an even height.

Roughage digestion occurs by microbial fermentation in the caecum. Particles that are too large pass through undigested and nutrients are not digested. Inadequately chewed roughage increases the risk of intestinal obstruction (colic).

Incisors do not wear at the same rate as the molars

This is due to the non-abrasive nature of the diet of the modern domesticated horse.

Early or late tooth eruption causes an uneven chewing surface, this becomes exaggerated over time.

Tall, sharp canine teeth can pinch or cut the tongue ( a problem in geldings and stallions).

Horses chew in a figure of 8 type pattern

This chewing action which requires an angle of about 15 degrees on the molar surface to allow the horse to chew efficiently.

Floating your horse's teeth:

Sharp points occur in most horses teeth over time due to uneven grinding and wear on the horses molars. The equine dentist will float your horses teeth (rasp or file the teeth) to even the surfaces.

Floating removes sharp enamel points. These enamel points cause considerable discomfort to the cheeks, gums and tongue. The most common tools used are the floats.

They are long handled rasps that are designed just for filing down horse teeth. However, a new power tool system has been developed called the Power Float System and some equine dentists are switching to this as they feel it can be more accurate, quicker and cause less discomfort for the horse.

The floating procedure is one aspect of a complete dental examination.

A full evaluation of your horse's teeth should be carried out annually by a qualified equine dentist and, in some cases, a more frequent examination is necessary.

The clinical signs of dental disease are varied. Some horses show obvious signs of pain and discomfort while others may adapt to the discomfort without showing you any signs of dental problems until they become severe.

Signs of dental problems.

Dropping feed from their mouth while eating
Weight loss
Excessive Salivation
Foul odor from the mouth
Nasal discharge or a swelling on the face
Tossing, head tilting or fighting the bit

Common dental problems.

Sharp enamel points causing lacerations of cheek and tongue
Retained caps (baby teeth that have not been shed)
Retained wolf teeth (causes discomfort when bitted)
Hooks on premolars and molars
Infected teeth and/or gums
Congenital defects
Periodontal (gum) disease

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