Equine Dentistry Information

Equine dentistry is extremely important for horses, just as dental care is for humans. By ensuring that a horse’s teeth are kept in the best condition, overall performance is improved, and there is better food value absorption. Everyday life for horses can be a nightmare if they have not had correct equine dentist care. Tooth edges can become very sharp, causing discomfort, especially when the horse is working on the bit. This is why equine dentists are so important for a horse’s health. See the following guide to equine dentistry. 

• Horse drops food when eating
• Horse tilts head when riding
• Horse is resistant to the bit

• By domesticating horses we have changed their diet and feeding pattern which has affected their tooth wear
• We put a bit in our horse’s mouths which can injure the tongue and other structures in the mouth when not used properly
• Horses are living longer due to our care and attention which ultimately might lead to dental problems in later life
• Dental health isn’t considered often when breeding horses
• In the wild, horses with anatomical defects in the mouth may not have survived natural selection to pass on the ‘bad’ genes to future generations
• By interfering with breeding and creating miniature horses they can suffer from overcrowding as their teeth are too large for their mouths