Everything Horses and Livestock® Magazine

Everything Horses and Livestock Magazine ®

don’t have to work very hard in chewing since we tend to have pretty non-abrasive grasses in pastures, soft hay and even crack the corn ahead of time if we feed actual grains. As a result of this abbreviated range of motion, the outside edges of the top teeth do not get worn down smoothly and there are sharp irregular points produced on the top molars (and occasionally on the inside edge of the bottom molars). These sharp points cause discomfort as the points dig into the cheek tissue while chewing or the cheek tissue is pushed into the sharp points when pressure is applied by halters, side pulls, bits, etc. Another frequent issue in the mature horse is broken teeth which in turn allows for super eruption of the opposing molar. Since the teeth are a more grindable, breakable material than ours (I equate it to almost

like a porcelain material), they tend to break more easily should the horse bite down on a rock, walnut or anything hard. This is compounded by the fact that there are no nerve endings in the actual tooth (there are nerve endings in the connective tissue of the tooth socked but not in the tooth itself). Therefore, the horse can break a molar and literally never know it. Let’s assume that the 4th molar

step mouth and can be very detrimental since it tends to disrupt the entire grinding motion. There are numerous other conditions which can occur as a result of the eruption/grinding process such as wavy molar tables (the flat grinding surface) or unbalanced mouth (one side of the bottom molars higher that the other).

on top gets broken off. That leaves nothing wearing against the opposing molar (4th molar on bottom)

These conditions can usually all be detected and addressed by annual dental

exams. You will reap the benefits in better health, better handling and more years of productivity from your horse.

and allows the bottom molar to erupt into the mouth higher than the adjoining molars. This condition is called

15 Everything Horses and Livestock® | May 2020 | EHALmagazine.com