Equine dental disease causes chronic pain affecting eating, behavior, and rideability. Modern equine dentistry has advanced far beyond routine floating to address the full spectrum of dental welfare needs throughout a horse's life.
Equine dental pain is dramatically underdiagnosed and undertreated. Horses with significant dental pathology continue eating — they must, or they will starve — but they do so painfully, often showing quidding (dropping partially chewed food), excessive salivation, and preference for soft feeds. Under saddle, dental pain manifests as head tossing, resistance to rein contact, one-sided stiffness, and behavioral changes that are frequently misattributed to training problems or lameness. The relationship between dental pain and behavior is so significant that behavioral reassessment after dental treatment often resolves problems that were seemingly unrelated. Advanced equine dentistry, including radiography, periodontal disease management, and tooth extraction when necessary, has transformed the ability to diagnose and treat conditions that previously caused years of unrecognized chronic pain.