The health of your horse’s mouth might not sound like something you want to get invoved with.  But since at least once a year you’re going to have to send each of your horses to the dentist, it’s good thing to know about. 

Like humans, horses can develop a variety dental problems, and without attention some can become very serious and require expensive surgery. Abnormal teeth not only affect the horse's comfort while eating, but also commonly lead to unwanted or dangerous behavior while the animal is ridden.

Many horse dental problems are related to the fact that their teeth grow continuously until some time between the ages of 25 and 30. Completely formed at an early age, and stored in the dental socket, equine teeth slowly erupt throughout the animal’s lifetime as the grinding surface slowly wears away.  Because of this, a horse’s head weighs seven pounds more when he’s four years old than when he’s fifteen.

Grass, their natural food, contains silica which is an abrasive and constantly wears down a horse's teeth. More grit comes from dirt as they graze. The fibers of heavier grasses require a bit of grinding. And after a horse reaches down to bite off grass, he raises his head to chew, which changes his jaw position constantly.

 A horse living outside on natural grasses will be more likely to naturally polish off the surfaces of his molars than one who spends his life in a stall or small paddock.

Because many modern horses often graze on lusher, softer forage than their ancestors, and are also frequently fed grain or other concentrated feed, natural wear is reduced.  There are many times when tooth wear is uneven, and the horse may develop sharp edges on its teeth that reduce chewing efficiency, interfere with jaw motion, and cut the tongue or cheek, making eating painful.

Horses from childhood onward need regular dental examinations, much the same as humans do.

Newborn and young horses should be checked to ensure their teeth are formed correctly; their bite is sound, etc.

As the horse becomes a “teen” the dentist makes sure that its baby teeth are being replaced in a timely fashion with adult teeth; that there are no “left over” teeth that are in the way of biting, chewing or the correct position of the bit.

Common problems in adult horses which require a dentist include abscessed, loose, infected, or cracked teeth, and plaque build up. 
And as the horse ages, a dental evaluation insures the horse has the ability to continue to chew as efficiently as possible.  If a horse lives long enough, it will wear its teeth right down to the root.

Most horses need to have their teeth floated (or rasped) once every 12 months, although this, too, is variable and depends on the individual horse—on how its jaw is formed and how fast its teeth grow.  Floating involves a veterinarian or equine dentist rasping down the surface of the teeth, usually to remove sharp points or to balance out the mouth. Some horses need to have their teeth floated more often than yearly, while others may be fine with floating once every couple of years. 

 Most equine dentistry involves prevention. If a horse's teeth are regularly cared for, the maintenance process will not be overwhelming and you should be able to avoid most dental or health complications. By keeping an eye on a horse's teeth, a horse owner can determine how quickly a horse's dental surfaces are changing and get them cared for before complications arise.

It helps to know who to call when a horse needs equine dental care. Some veterinary teaching hospitals do not present more than the most basic information about caring for a horse’s teeth, and your particular veterinarian may or may not be schooled and experienced in this area. If (s)he is not, your partner should locate an equine dentist.

There is also a non-professional practitioner called a “floater” who only does tooth rasping.  Some are quite knowledgeable and skillful, many others are like bad dentists for humans—they can do more harm than good.   A floater may come cheap, but unprofessional dental work often leads to more expensive problems later.

Keeping up with a horse’s dental needs is another of those “grin and bear it” expenses that comes with owning a horse.  To some extent it’s a safety issue.  You know how you feel when you have a toothache.  Add to that the thought of sharp points cutting into the inside of your cheeks and you can imagine how a horse feels and how it might act in such a situation.  It pays to shop around to find an equine professional, but ignoring teeth entirely is a bad idea.