Why do Horses Teeth Need to be Floated
There are so many aspects of a horse’s health to consider when ensuring they have the highest quality of life possible. One important thing to consider is oral health. A horse’s teeth are one of their characteristic qualities and keeping them clean and strong is so vital in ensuring the horse gets the nutrition they need. In order to maintain good dental health, you should consider floating your horse’s teeth.
Why do horses teeth need to be floated? This article explains all. Read on to discover what it means to float the teeth of horses and how to ensure optimal dental health. Just like you struggle to function with a toothache, your horse can quickly become scared and agitated when experiencing pain. Learn more about horse dental health and how you and your vet can keep their teeth in the best possible condition.
What Does it Mean to Float Horses Teeth?
Floating the teeth simply means to correct a dental issue with a horse. The process involves filing the teeth to remove sharp edges that may have built up over time. This is necessary because a horse will spend all day chewing on grass in a circular motion, rather than up and down. Over time, this grinds down part of the teeth, leaving an uneven surface. If left untreated, this makes chewing more difficult and can lead to pain in the mouth. A vet will be able to check the surface of a horse’s set of teeth and smooth it out so it’s back to being flat and even. This should solve many dental problems, keeping the horse comfortable and happy.
How Often to Get Dental Checkups for Your Horse
Horses have a wonderful set of teeth but, just like humans, any problems can cause pain and discomfort. Also like humans, regular checkups allow dental problems to be spotted early and treated before they get any worse. As someone who spends a lot of time around horses, you’ll know just how much grass they get through and how their teeth are continuously and vigorously in motion. For this reason, they may need checkups more often than other animals. As a result, vets recommend you get your horse’s teeth looked at twice a year, every six months or so.
Potential Dental Problems
Vets, when carrying out a dental checkup, will be looking for a number of problems. Often, the checkup involves not just looking in a horse’s mouth but having a feel as well. This way, vets are able to determine whether there are any painful areas. The horse’s response to a spot being touched will let the vet know if they’re in pain. The vet will also be able to check for loose and wobbly teeth that may need taking out. Finally, vets are interested if any edges have become sharp or uneven. If so, then it might be time to get your horse’s teeth floated.
Floating the Teeth
If any dental problems have been spotted, then the vet will decide whether to float the teeth. Doing so will allow them to file down any rough edges, realigning the teeth back to how they should be. This is generally a simple process that takes no more than a few minutes. Although the horse might not enjoy having it done, they shouldn’t feel any pain because there are no nerve endings on the teeth. However, if a horse does feel pain, then there could be worse damage on the teeth, gums, or mouth that needs attending to. If so, a good vet will be able to spot this and will get to work fixing the problem.
Why do horses teeth need to be floated? To keep their teeth aligned, strong, and free from pain. If you care deeply about your horse’s wellbeing, then consider having a vet round more often. Each time they come, the vet will be able to check whether floating the teeth is necessary and will be able to file the teeth if necessary. The horse will leave with a stronger, more capable jaw, that is able to adequately chew grass while avoiding potentially more severe dental problems. This is just one aspect of your horse’s health but an incredibly important one that shouldn’t be overlooked.
