Equine Dentistry

Why does my horse need the dentist?

Probably the question David is asked most is “Why do my horses teeth need rasping?” Well, imagine having toothache and someone is asking you to run a marathon – difficult to say the least!

Everything a horse needs to keep it alive goes through its mouth, yet we can often forget that it is a sensitive part of the horse’s body and if the teeth were as visible to us as hooves are, we would be as clued up on them as we are on shoeing.

Your four legged friend may be trying to tell you he or she has a tooth problem already....are you having problems with the contact? Does your horse shake his head around a lot? Do you have trouble bending the horse on one particular rein? If the answer to any of these is yes, it may be a good idea to get your horses teeth checked as part of their annual “MOT” to make sure everything is OK and rule out teeth being the cause of the problem. All horses from  Grand Prix dressage to hairy first ponies can benefit from a check-up – David’s youngest patient is just about to have his first birthday, and the eldest is enjoying his retirement at 38 years old!

During a visit, David carries out a full mouth examination (he’s not just there to give a quick rasp!) and check for any abnormalities, for example, sharp points on the teeth (imagine having a splinter and something constantly pressing on it!) and overgrown teeth which may cut into cheeks. David will explain what he’s looking for, what he’s found and you are welcome to have a feel of your horse’s mouth to help

understand the process.

And finally... David’s care doesn’t finish when he leaves your yard! He is happy to answer any questions, queries or concerns you have regarding your horses teeth – just give him a call or drop him an email!

A healthy 5 year old horse will just have acquired all their permanent teeth, comprising 24 molars for grinding, 12 incisors and 4 canines (which are usually just present in males but some mares do have them). Deciduous (or milk) teeth appear between 5 and 8 months with the permanent teeth following through between 1 and 2 years old. As most horses are backed at 3 years old, it can be easy to put their erratic behaviour down to other things rather than any associated teething and its discomfort!

Domesticated horses have been taken out of their natural environment and their diets have changed from only natural forage to hard feeds and hay fed from a height. When a horse eats from the ground, his bottom jaw will slide forward so that the teeth can meet and grind correctly. When he eats from a height (from a haynet for example), his jaw is unable to meet and grind (occlude) against his upper premolars and lower last molars. This can result in abnormalities of the teeth such as hooks, ramps and sharp points, all of which can cause trauma to the mouth – cut cheeks, ulcerated tongues, impaction of food to name a few.