Educational Posts from Facebook
1) Do you know what is required for a complete equine oral examination? Adequate sedation, an oral speculum (to keep the mouth open), a good light source, a mirror or oral endoscope, and an education about what we're actually looking at during the exam.
2) Here's your equine dentistry fact of the day: horses typically do not show signs of oral pathology until it's absolutely disastrous. The normal wear and tear that causes eating and health problems usually happens at such a slow rate that horses do not suddenly show new clinical signs. That's why an annual oral exam (not just a floating!) is so incredibly important.
3) There are some signs you should be aware of and contact us if you observe them in your horse!
Dropping of feed
Hay quidding (dropping clumps of hay)
Eating with their heads tilted
Not eating their feed normally
Salivating more than normal
Weight loss
Unusual head behavior when bridled
Reluctance / stiffness to one side
Swollen areas on the head
Foul odor from the mouth
Foul smelling one sided nasal discharge
Each of these can be associated with dental disease and require a Veterinary dental exam to diagnose the cause of the problem.
Dropping of feed
Hay quidding (dropping clumps of hay)
Eating with their heads tilted
Not eating their feed normally
Salivating more than normal
Weight loss
Unusual head behavior when bridled
Reluctance / stiffness to one side
Swollen areas on the head
Foul odor from the mouth
Foul smelling one sided nasal discharge
Each of these can be associated with dental disease and require a Veterinary dental exam to diagnose the cause of the problem.
4) Did you know that some horse deciduous (baby) teeth play a very important role in the proper development of permanent (adult) teeth? Removal of these teeth prematurely can cause infundibular lesions at a young age. What are infundibular lesions? We'll explain at your next equine dental appointment! Ask us! We have all kinds of advanced equine dentistry knowledge!
5) Did you know that horses are grinders? Compared to humans, which are chewers. That means horses actually wear down their teeth as they eat. So their teeth (except canine and wolf teeth) are continuously erupting to replace what is worn away. Think about a tube of Chapstick. As you use the Chapstick and spin the dial at the bottom, the amount of Chapstick inside of the tube gets smaller and smaller. That's exactly how horse teeth behave over the lifespan of the tooth. Proper wearing of the teeth helps to accomplish our goals for your horse (oral health, oral comfort, grinding efficiency, lifespan of the teeth, and performance). There are a TON of variables that come into play to determine how your horse is wearing its teeth. These variables can be evaluated ONLY WITH A THOROUGH ORAL EXAMINATION. See earlier post about what is required for an oral exam. Contact us to set up an appointment for your horse today!
6) you know horses get the same issues in their mouths that people do? Yes, they get cavities, gingivitis, periodontal disease, resorptive disease, root disease, pulp disease, sinus infections, etc., etc., etc! I can't tell you the number of times that I see a horse for an oral exam that was "floated" recently that has all sorts of issues going on in their mouths. The procedure of "floating" off sharp enamel points does not identify actual problems in the mouth. That can be accomplished only with a thorough oral examination. What issues are lingering in your horse's mouth? Contact us for an appointment today!
7) Are you having bitting or performance issues with your horse? Does your horse bend better one direction than the other direction? Does your horse have resistance to staying collected in a frame? Horses don't just get sharp points on their teeth that affect how the bit affects them. Pressure placed on certain teeth by normal wear and tear can cause significant bitting problems. Asymmetrical eating habits also cause significant performance issues, even when using bit-less bridles. A thorough oral examination can identify these issues, allowing us to provide your horse much needed relief. Ask our existing clients how much we've been able to boost their horses' performance! Contact us for an appointment for your horse!
8) Remember, every dental visit for your horse should include a detailed medical record about the findings from the oral examination. "Getting your horse's teeth done" is absolutely a medical procedure. If all you get is a piece of paper with the word "float" and the cost, what kind of medical procedure did you really get??? There are up to 44 teeth in a horse's mouth. That means there are up to 150 individual pulp structures, 24 infundibuli, 30 interdental spaces....basically an encyclopedia of information. It must be documented!
9) We get a lot of questions about using sedation and power tools during our dental procedures. Understand that in order to actually do a thorough oral examination to see what issues are in a horse's mouth, they must be sedated to allow a mirror exam or oral endoscopy exam. Power tools aren't the scary thing that a lot of people think they are. The fine grit diamond discs we use are designed to grind down teeth at a relatively slow rate, not causing large chunks to break off, as is the case with old fashioned hand files. Sedation and power tools are not used because they make the job easier for us; both are really necessary in order to actually do the job we pride ourselves in doing.
10) My last post about use of sedation and power tools sparked some feedback from people. Which is great! I love that we're discussing these things. Let's focus on the topic of hand files versus power tools. Each certainly has pro's and con's.
Power tools:
Pro's:
-Able to reduce all areas of all teeth (see con's in hand files section).
-Able to reduce a single tooth at a time.
-Literally sands the tooth, not breaking it (see con's in hand files section).
-Can adjust RPM's for desired speed.
-Minimal trauma to soft tissue (see con's in hand files section).
-Multiple different grinding attachments allows specialized shaping of teeth.
-Allows more advanced procedures, such as periodontal treatments and restorations/root canals. Yes, veterinarians do these procedures in horses!
Con's:
-Heats the tooth due to friction (that's why we wet the mouth and don't spend more than a few seconds on a tooth at a time).
-Expensive!
-Learning curve.
Hand files:
Pro's:
-Much less expensive!
-Lower risk of thermal damage.
-Lower learning curve.
Con's:
-Has to be moving to grind tooth, so unable to reduce the last tooth in the back of the mouth (this is why we so frequently see huge ramps way in the back of the mouth, even in horses that have been "floated").
-Has been shown in research to put extreme pressure on teeth, causing breaks, fissure lines, and increased drag on the periodontal ligament.
-Very traumatic to soft tissue in the mouth.
Yes, our services are providing using the superior power tools. We are extremely well trained, with years of experience and thousands and thousands of dentals under our belts. The equipment is safe in our hands, I assure you!
Power tools:
Pro's:
-Able to reduce all areas of all teeth (see con's in hand files section).
-Able to reduce a single tooth at a time.
-Literally sands the tooth, not breaking it (see con's in hand files section).
-Can adjust RPM's for desired speed.
-Minimal trauma to soft tissue (see con's in hand files section).
-Multiple different grinding attachments allows specialized shaping of teeth.
-Allows more advanced procedures, such as periodontal treatments and restorations/root canals. Yes, veterinarians do these procedures in horses!
Con's:
-Heats the tooth due to friction (that's why we wet the mouth and don't spend more than a few seconds on a tooth at a time).
-Expensive!
-Learning curve.
Hand files:
Pro's:
-Much less expensive!
-Lower risk of thermal damage.
-Lower learning curve.
Con's:
-Has to be moving to grind tooth, so unable to reduce the last tooth in the back of the mouth (this is why we so frequently see huge ramps way in the back of the mouth, even in horses that have been "floated").
-Has been shown in research to put extreme pressure on teeth, causing breaks, fissure lines, and increased drag on the periodontal ligament.
-Very traumatic to soft tissue in the mouth.
Yes, our services are providing using the superior power tools. We are extremely well trained, with years of experience and thousands and thousands of dentals under our belts. The equipment is safe in our hands, I assure you!
11) I had a really interesting conversation with a client who has diabetes about all the advancements in managing that disease that have occurred in the last decade. They were able to tell me about how much better they feel when their sugar and insulin are in the sweet spot, rather than having those highs and lows. The monitoring equipment and insulin administration equipment has changed their life. It really makes for a very eye-opening comparison to the world of equine dentistry. The advancement in our knowledge of the abundance of oral health problems and the improvement in the equipment that allows us to diagnose and treat these situations has grown by a staggering amount in the last decade or two. The idea of doing it "the old-fashioned way" must be left in the past. Sharp points are a footnote in the encyclopedia of information in the horse's mouth. Help us improve the standard of care of equine dentistry! Contact us for an appointment today, and we'll open your eyes to what real equine dentistry is!
