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Last month we learned how to tell a horse's age by looking at his teeth; but age isn't the only thing a dealer can see when he looks in a horse's mouth--he can also see the potential for a long healthy life, or a predisposition for health problems.
This month we will look at the fascinating differences between our teeth and horse teeth, and discuss what type of dental care our equine friends need. The first important difference between our teeth and horse's is that a horse's teeth never stop growing. If a horse loses a bottom tooth, the one directly above it will continue to grow into the space, then into the gum and palette if not treated. The second important difference is the angle at which the molars meet. While our molars meet straight across the top in a flat surface, the horse's top and bottom molars meet at an angled surface. This angle allows for crushing and grinding his food with both an up-and-down and side-to-side motion. Have you ever noticed how your horse chews? The side to side motion is fascinating to watch, and makes a wonderful, rhythmic sound. These two features together can cause problems. The bottom jaw being slightly narrower than the top forms the angle that the molars meet at. While a very effective design for crushing, the edges of the tooth are often left out of the grinding surface. Since the teeth are continuously growing, the edges not being used grow very sharp edges called hooks or points. The tooth edges can become razor sharp, causing cuts, sores, and ulcers. Hooks or points on the upper teeth usually cut into the cheek, while hooks or points on the bottom teeth cut into the tongue. Looking for these points, and periodically filing them down-called floating-should be a part of your horse's routine veterinary care. This angle also provides spacing between the teeth that can easily trap food. Trapped food can lead to gingivitis, just like in people. Horse's teeth grow out of the jawbone. They don't get painful cavities like we do because the majority of the tooth, including the root nerve, is located deep within the bone. They can get tooth and gum disease, ulcers, sores and abscesses. If a horse cannot chew properly, he can not get the nutrients out of his food and will start to drop weight and look lethargic. He will be much more susceptible to colic, as he can not grind the food into the proper size before swallowing. Go To Page: 1 2
The copyright of the article Open Wide! in Horse Talk is owned by Patricia Celley. Permission to republish Open Wide! in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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