Taking Care of Your Horse’s Mouth

 

Horses’ teeth have developed to deal with the animals’ natural eating habits: wild grasses, with their high silica content, tend to wear the teeth of naturally grazing horses down in an even pattern, so that wild horses managed to survive without annual visits with the dentist. But domestic horses, whose naturally developed teeth are mismatched with their domestic lifestyles, need to have their teeth, jaws and mouths cared for just as we do. An annual or twice-yearly visit from an equine dentist or veterinarian with qualifications in dentistry is necessary to keep your horse’s mouth—and indeed, entire system in good working order.

 

If you’ve ever had a toothache, if you grind or brux your teeth at night, or if you suffer from temperomandibular joint pain (TMJ), you know the impact of mouth discomfort on your whole body. You can eat right, your whole head hurts, and your current diet of lukewarm soup soon leaves you hungry and irritable. A horse with mouth pain experiences similar problems, but since he can’t tell you where the problem is, you will only see symptoms that may appear mysterious and unrelated—until you know what you’re looking for.

 

Symptoms of a horse with mouth problems include:

 

• Dropping feed, or partly chewed feed.
• Going off his feed, or eating very slowly
• Improperly digested hay or grass in manure
• Drooling
• Colic
• Becoming shy of the bit
• Avoiding the bridle
• Resisting attempts to handle his mouth or face
• Head tucking or tossing
• Irritability
• Performance problems
• Ulcers in your horse’s mouth or cancer sores

 

 

Horses’ teeth are made for grinding; the natural chewing action consists of rocking his jaws back and forth to break up the fibrous material and crunchy grains of his diet. Typically, the inside wears down, but the outside wears away more slowly and unevenly, creating a tooth with a hook. The outside of upper molars and the inside of lower ones may be hooked, so that they meet each other when the horse chews, preventing him from chewing side to side. His digestion is immediately at risk, because his feed is improperly chewed. Hooks or points on the teeth also cause soreness in the mouth, from rubbing against the cheek or gums.  With time, the horse finds different ways to chew his feed, creating more odd wear and putting pressure on other teeth, which may fracture or loosen and fall out.

 

Foals whose upbringing includes plenty of handling prove easier to work with as they grow up. Make it part of your daily routine to inspect your horse’s mouth. Foals sometimes have trouble shedding their baby teeth; when adult teeth are trying to erupt, a toothy “cap” may need to be removed by a dentist.

 

For all horses, an annual dental inspection (including teeth, jaws, gums, sinuses and the whole head) helps prevent serious problems. As teeth become uneven, edges can be “floated”, or filed down to create an even grinding surface. Wolf teeth (pre-molars) should be removed as a matter of course: otherwise, they cause pain when working with a bit. Overgrown incisors need to be shortened to correct the bite and avoid gouging the gums on the other side of the mouth. You may have heard of horse owners using hoof nippers to do the job, but that can shatter the teeth. When dealing with your horse’s mouth, always hire the most qualified person you can get. Paying for preventive dentistry is preferable to waiting until problems develop

 

Equine Dentistry Regulation

The International Association of Equine Dentists provides training and certification for veterinarians and hygienists who work with horses, but in some areas, the only professional dentistry covered by insurance must be provided by a licensed veterinarian. Most vets don’t have dentistry experience; they will say so and refer you to someone who does. Equine dentistry requires specialized equipment—slings, mouth speculums, grinding and cutting tools—and particular sets of skills. If you work with an equine dentist, you may also require the presence of a vet to provide sedatives and additional medication (for example, antibiotics, if an abscessed tooth is detected or treated).