Annual dentistry evaluation is important for horses of any age. Early on in a horse's life catching and correcting dental problems, such as misalignment of the teeth, hooks and retained Deciduous (baby) teeth, can prevent these problems from causing serious and permanent damage to a horse's mouth. Retained baby teeth and misalignments of deciduous teeth can create abnormal wear in otherwise normal teeth. Misalignments in foals such as over bite (parrot mouth) and under bite (sow mouth) can create hooks that can prevent natural correction and growth of the jaw. This can be prevented if the disorder is found early and the hooks are removed. Retained deciduous teeth and caps are also removed to prevent improper wear and alignment of the incoming permanent teeth.
          Wolf teeth can erupt between 9 months and 3 years of age. These are small teeth located just in front of the second premolar. These teeth can sometimes cause a problem with the bit and are often removed. Also, during the first 5 years of life, teeth are often softer and can form sharp points more quickly than in older horses. These points can cause trauma to the cheeks and tongue if they are not corrected. Sharp points can occur in the front or the back of the mouth.
          Signs of dental problems in horses include behavioral change, difficulty chewing, dropping feed, weight loss, nasal discharge or foul odor from the nostril and mouth. Severe problems can also cause localized facial swelling and bloody discharge from the nose or mouth. Dental problems can also cause performance problems such as head tilting, bit chewing, tongue lolling, and resistance to the bit. A thorough dental exam should be performed once a year usually in conjunction with either spring or fall shots.
          It is important to thoroughly examine a horse's mouth to find and correct problems. Sedation and use of a speculum are critical parts of this exam. With out these tools it is impossible to evaluate problems on the gums and the back of the mouth. Furthermore when a horse has dental problems in the back of the mouth it is uncomfortable to correct these abnormalities which can be missed with out sedation.
          For the most part horses' teeth continue to erupt throughout their life. As horses are now living well in to their twenties and thirties, their teeth are having to last them longer than they evolved to last. As a horse gets older it often becomes increasingly difficult to maintain body condition. Often this can be a sign of dental problems. Step and wave mouths can form in any age horse but are more common in older horses when their teeth begin to wear more unevenly. These problems can often be improved with regular floating. Older horses often develop pockets along their gum line where food can accumulate and become a source of pain and infection. Only a thorough dental exam can find these problems before they become abscesses, which can cause tooth decay and loss.
          When a horse loses one tooth the opposite tooth will continue to erupt with out a surface to wear against. This can make it very difficult for a horse to chew and can cause a great deal of pain. Regular floating can keep this tooth from becoming a problem. Older horses may need to have their teeth floated every six months if they begin to develop any of these problems to prevent weight loss and maintain their dental health. Dental care is an important part of any equine preventive health program and every horse should have a yearly dental exam and most will have to be floated every 6-12 months.