DENTAL CARE IN HORSES
Healthy teeth, healthier horse
Regular dental care is an extremely important part of good horse husbandry. Studies
conducted in the mid 2000’s at the University of Queensland School of Veterinary Science
found that good dental health was the single most important determinant of health in older
horses. It was found that those horses who had regular dental care during their life stayed
healthier for longer.
Regular dental care in horses is both important to correct and prevent any abnormalities for
health purposes, as well as making sure there are no problems which could affect
performance. Horses that develop behavioural problems like head tossing, or reluctance on
either rein, may have a dental problem. Sharp points can cause ulcers on the inside of the
horse’s cheek, which will be painful when bit pressure occurs. Young horses who are cutting
teeth or losing caps (deciduous or baby teeth) can have pain associated with this which
makes them less co-operative with bits. Getting young horses examined and treated prior
to breaking in is essential to prevent painful sores developing in the mouth, and reduce the
risk of bad behaviour developing.
At Kenilworth Veterinary Surgery, we recommend that all horses have regular dental checks
and preventative treatment, especially those who are ridden regularly, and older horses.
Sharp points can not only cause cheek and tongue sores and ulcers, they can also alter the
way a horse chews. This can set up an imbalance in the jaw, and may result in premature
loss of teeth if not corrected in time. Normal grazing horses who graze up to 20 hours a day
will grind their teeth between 30,000 and 50,000 times a day (yes, someone has actually
counted this!!!), and therefore any imbalance can soon create a wear abnormality which, if
not corrected early, can result in permanent damage. Horses less than 10 years old tend to
have “softer teeth” which wear more rapidly and can therefore develop sharp points more
readily than older horses. For this reason, regular dental care means horses in this age
group would need to be annually examined and treated to ensure minor problems don’t
become major problems.
Also, how quickly horses wear their teeth down can be dependent on their diet. Some
grasses are high in silicates which can be very abrasive and wear down the teeth more
quickly than other grasses. Pelleted feeds tend to be less abrasive.
The aging process-older horses
As horses approach their late teens, most horses start to run out of “enamel” in their molar
teeth, usually in the upper molars first. Horse teeth, unlike ours, wear down continually
throughout life. Eventually their reserve of enamel wears out. Enamel is the hardest
substance in horse’s teeth, and in their molar (cheek) teeth occurs in vertical folds, which
gives the molars their abrasive capability.
As the aging molar tooth loses its enamel, the opposing molar tooth, which will often still
have enamel, starts to abrade away the softer teeth components more rapidly, resulting in
cupping out and smoothing of the bite surface. So, the softer tooth wears more rapidly, and
because it can no longer abrade the other harder tooth, this tooth grows more. This will
result in “wave mouth”, where cheek teeth are at all different heights, and can lead to teeth
falling out prematurely.
The cheek teeth (molars and premolars) are very important teeth in horses as they do all the
grinding of feed. If you open a horse mouth to look at these teeth, often all you see is a
tongue and a deep dark cave! Cheek teeth, especially those at the back, can only be
properly examined with a good quality Hausmann gag and a bright light.
There are lay dentists who advertise “no gag no stress”.
This can result in poor dental care, as it is impossible to adequately examine and treat the
rear cheek teeth without a gag. I have seen several horses treated by “No gag” dentists
with large points on their back molars, on one occasion 2cm long and embedding into the
opposite gum. “No gag” dentistry involves manipulating the tongue, or holding it, to allow
the teeth to be felt, and then attempting to rasp the teeth this way. This is not a thorough
examination, and the difficulty associated with rasping a horse’s teeth this way can
sometimes cause a horse to bite hard on the rasp, fracturing their tooth.
State of the art Equine Dentistry involves thorough visual and manual examination of all
teeth, after thorough flushing out of the mouth and teeth surfaces, similar to how a human
dentist examines your teeth. This can only be achieved with a good quality gag, and a cooperative patient, hence the need for light to moderate sedation.
Kenilworth Veterinary Surgery has invested in quality instruments, including a Powerfloat,
(battery powered motorised rotating disc) to allow us to give our Equine patients the very
best dental care, and the best chance of a long healthy life.
To book in your horse’s dental examination and preventative treatment, phone the surgery
on 54723085 during office hours.
Dr Steve Dennis, BVSc(Hons) MACVSc (Equine Medicine)