Dental care is very important to good horse management. Vets at Pool House Veterinary Group have undertaken postgraduate training in dentistry, and invested in modern automated equipment to ensure a high standard of dental care for all our patients.

All of our ambulatory vets are equiped with a full range of modern 'floats' (rasps) with tungsten carbide blades. This equipemenrt enables dental treatment to be performed rapidly with minimal trauma to the mouth. Extensive dental treatment must only be performed by a veterinary surgeon and in our practice we have a full range of automated equipment at our diagnositic faclility including radiography and if required general anaesthesia.

The horse is a herbivore and uses its massive molar teeth in a grinding motion to break down grass and other material into a more easily digested pulp. In the wild horses obtain all their nutrition from grazing - sometimes up to eighteen hours per day. Domesticated horses are fed much of their nutritional requirements as 'hard' feeds which do not require the same degree of mastication. Sharp enamel points are therefore common in stabled horses.

	The orange dot has been placed on the Fifth cheek tooth. These teeth have extensive roots, which can be four or five inches long.
	The upper jaw has a row of molars on either side. The upper jaw is wider than the lower jaw, so it is common for the outside edges of these teeth to become sharp and pointed.
	Failure to ensure good dental health can result in signs such as slow eating, inappetance, quidding, bad breath, and weight loss. Long undigested fibres in the faeces can indicate dental disease. Sharp hooks on the first cheek teeth can also result in problems with the bit or head shaking.
	Careful palpation of the cheeks will sometimes reveal sharp edges or irregularities, but owners should NEVER try to feel inside the gums themselves. This is extremely dangerous. A full mouth speculum can be used in most horses (sometimes mild sedation is required) to enable a detailed dental examination.
	Johnathon Withers extracting a diseased lower molar.
	This picture illustrates the use of a full mouth speculum. In this case a molar tooth is being extracted under heavy sedation and powerful analgesia.
	It is usually the outside (buccal) surface of the upper molar and the inside (lingual) edges of the lower molars that require rasping (often called floating).
	The three basic rasps (floats). There are many other types designed to deal with specific areas of the mouth. There is a bewildering array of dental rasps for horses' teeth, but only three basic types are normally necessary. The upper most rasp is used on the first and second cheek teeth of the upper arcade. The middle rasp is used on the inside surface of the lower cheek teeth and the back molars of the upper arcade. The bottom rasp is used to remove hooks from the caudal molars. Horses with specific problems such as 'ramps' or 'hooks' may require the use of other types of rasp or even electrical equipment.
	Sometimes teeth can become so rotten and diseased that they have to be removed. In the horse this usually means an operation under G.A. to extract the affected tooth. In older horses the teeth can sometimes be removed by oral extraction, as in the case illustrated here. These rotten teeth were severely ulcerating the gums of the horse concerned.
	Large extractors are used to gradually loosen the tooth in its socket until it can be removed. Heavy sedation is required and antibiotic therapy, and anti tetanus treatment is essential.
	This old horse has a severe 'wave' which CANNOT be corrected as there is insufficient reserve crown at this age. however the lower '408' is standing proud and displaced lingually. This tooth was in fact finger loose and was extracted. the horse was much more comfortable afterwards and started to put weight back on.

Wolf teeth

Most horses develop so-called wolf teeth these are in fact the first premolars. It some animals these small teeth cause discomfort whilst the horse is being ridden. They are usually extracted under heavy sedation, the procedure should only be performed by a Veterinary Surgeon. Anti Tetanus prophylaxis is ESSENTIAL when removing these teeth. It is NOT the case however that all wolf teeth need removing and before doing so you should be satisfied that a problem exists. As a general rule of thumb the BIGGER the wolf tooth the LESS likely it is to cause a problem. Small sharp pointed teeth are more often implicated in problems.

Who is an Equine Dentist?

In Britain only qualified and properly registered Veterinary Surgeons can legally act as Equine Dentists. Treatment by any other person is against the Law. Unfortunately in the past equine dentistry has been a neglected area, and some people call themselves an equine dentists and treat horses with no training or anatomical knowledge. There are many people claiming to be dentists today who fall into this category; although some dental technicians have received training, by law, they should only work under direct Veterinary supervision. Because of concern as to serious welfare problems that have arisen due to lay dentistry the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) has introduced a two day course in dental techniques for Equine Dental Technicians after which they can demonstrate their competency by taking an exam. Successful EDTs can join the British Association of Equine Dental Technicians(BAEDT). BEVA recommends that before using a lay dentist you should check that your Vet is happy with his work and that he has had proper training and is a member of the BAEDT. In the future DEFRA may recognise this qualification with an amendment to the Veterinary Surgeons Act. All members of BAEDT should carry full insurance, unfortunately many of the so-called 'dentists' have no professional insurance, so if a problem occurs neither you nor your horse will have any cover. In addition the use of an unqualified person to treat your animal will invalidate your horse's insurance.

Excessive dental work is as much a problem as too little. We have come accross many instances of over enthusiastic rasping of teeth by 'dentists'. In some cases even when the horse had no medical problem before the so - called treatment. Remember removal of large amounts of tooth is rarely indicated and may significantly shorten the horses life expectancy.

Dos and Don'ts of equine dental health

• Do ensure a yearly dental health check for your horse.
• Do use a properly qualified person, this should be a Veterinary Surgeon.
• Check your horse's mouth at least weekly for sores, and palpate the cheeks for any sharp points.
• Do check your hay net for stones or other foreign material that can chip your horse's teeth.
• Do check for bad breath, facial swellings, or one-sided nasal discharges on a daily basis.
• Don't stick your fingers in your horse's mouth - unless you want a serious and painful injury!!
• Don't use unqualified or uninsured people to treat your horse. You wouldn't dream of letting someone with no training loose on your own teeth, so why do it to your horse? Check that any lay dental technician is a member of BAEDT as this indicates that he has basic training and has demonstrated this in an examination.

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