10 Dental Terms Every Horse Owner Should Know

If you look inside your horse's mouth, you'll see a lot of teeth! Like us, they'll vary in size and purpose. Most horses have between 36 and 42 teeth. Their adult teeth will continue to grow throughout their life. Riders often examine their horse's teeth to determine an approximate age. The grooves and wear patterns offer clues into how old a horse is. They also suggest how well they have been cared for.

Your horse needs regular dental care from a professional veterinarian or equine dentist. They will examine their teeth for issues and file down sharp points. When communicating with your dentist, you'll want to use correct terminology. This list should prove to be helpful!

Equine Dental Terms

1. Floating: An examination and adjustment performed on the teeth. It often means to level or file down.
2. Cap: A baby tooth sitting on top of an adult tooth that is ready to erupt.
3. Permanent: A horse's adult teeth.
4. Deciduous: The baby teeth, which are replaced by permanent ones.
5. Incisors: The front teeth used to grasp and pull grass.
6. Premolars: Used for grinding, these teeth are the first three sets of large teeth on the top and bottom jaw.
7. Molars: The 2nd three sets of large teeth found on the top and bottom jaw. They're also used for grinding.
8. Wolf teeth: The first premolar teeth. They don't have a chewing function and are often extracted before training begins.
9. Crown: The part of the tooth that has erupted above the surface, not the root.
10. Eruption: The act of the tooth crown coming out into the mouth from the jaw bone.

There are many other terms that could be helpful to learn, but this top ten list will get you started on the right tract.