Dental Care

Dental care is one of the most important and misunderstood pieces of the horse health puzzle. The equine dental structure and tooth is vastly different from ours. They have deciduous (baby caps) and adult teeth which continue to erupt from the bone and wear off until they are 25-30 years old. During the first 5 years of life, horses loose 24 deciduous teeth and erupt 34 permanent (adult) teeth which can cause significant discomfort when eating and carrying and responding to a bit. Sharp points and malocclusions (abnormal tooth alignment) can cause weight loss, dropping and wasting of feed, salivation, and bad behavior due to pain. In depth knowledge of the dental anatomy and physiology of the horses’ eating habits are essential in diagnosing and treating dental problems and preventing disease in all horses.