Through evolution and means of survival, horses have become very good at hiding dental problems until they become severe. Their eating patterns adapt to cope with developing dental pain and disease. Only with expert examination can these problems be identified early. Some of the issues common to horses are dental overgrowths and sharp points, cheek ulcers, incisor problems, orthodontic abnormaliti
es and infections like cavities and gum disease. Most of these issues do not develop overnight and signs are visible well in advance of serious problems developing. Regular dental "check ups" are as important to horses as they are to humans. Maybe even more important as our horses cannot tell us something is bothering them until they start acting out when the pain becomes too much. Good teeth also enable your horse to chew hay more efficiently so it is being utilized by their digestion system vs passing through. Wasting nutrients and calories for them and $$ for you. The inability to properly chew can also lead to scary choking episodes - just as if we humans ate without chewing. You owe it to your horse to have his teeth checked at least annually so any developing problems can be corrected.
