Dental problems are among the most common causes of pain and performance issues in horses, yet dental care is often overlooked in equine welfare management.
Dental pain in horses is often masked through behavioral compensation, making recognition challenging. Signs of dental pain include difficulty chewing, dropping food (quidding), head tilting while eating, and performance problems under saddle. Sharp enamel points cause painful ulcers on the inside of the cheeks that are not visible externally. Severe dental disease including wave mouth and periodontal disease causes chronic pain and nutritional compromise from impaired chewing. Regular dental examination and rasping (floating) maintains tooth alignment and prevents secondary problems. The welfare burden of unaddressed dental disease in horses is significant, particularly in older animals where dental wear accelerates.