Another “tooth” of the matter: Why dental care matters for horses Dental problems are common in horses and can affect nearly every aspect of their daily life – from eating, grazing and maintaining body condition to performing comfortably under the saddle. Because horses spend the majority of each day chewing and grinding fibrous forage, their teeth are constantly wearing. While this process is a normal part of equine life, uneven wear can lead to sharp points, fractures and other abnormalities which can cause pain and interfere with overall health and wellbeing if left untreated. Complicating matters, as prey animals, horses instinctively hide signs of discomfort, allowing dental issues to progress unnoticed until they begin affecting chewing, digestion, behavior or performance. Without care, dental disease can progress and jeopardize the health of the horse. This delayed recognition is especially concerning because a horse’s teeth do not grow endlessly, as is commonly believed. Rather, each adult tooth has a fixed reserve which gradually erupts over time to replace what is worn down. Once the reserve is depleted, there is no way to replace it, making early detection and routine dental care essential for preserving long-term oral health. Dr. Kyle Johnson, a clinical assistant professor at the Texas A&M University
(TAMU) College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, explains the most common dental concerns seen in horses and why routine dental care with a veterinarian is essential to a horse’s health. Common dental problems One of the most common dental issues in horses is sharp points that develop on the cheek side of upper teeth and the tongue side of the lower teeth. “These sharp points form naturally over time as a result of jaw shape and the way horses chew,” Johnson said. “If left uncorrected, these points can cause trauma inside the mouth, mainly the cheeks and tongue, and can be a considerable source of pain for horses.” To address these sharp points, veterinarians perform a procedure known as “floating,” which smooths the teeth using a specialized, battery-operated instrument. Horses can also experience other dental issues, including fractured teeth and periodontal disease. “Because of the unique anatomy of the equine skull, dental disease can advance and affect the sinuses,” Johnson said. “These cases can require prolonged – and often expensive – treatment.” Signs of dental disease Dental problems in horses can be difficult to detect, but one of the earliest warning signs is a behavior known as quidding, when partially chewed feed or hay is dropped while eating. “Quidding occurs when
Adobe Stock photo
a horse cannot chew properly and is often the first sign there’s an issue in the mouth,” Johnson said. “The dropped food often looks like a small bird’s nest on the ground.”
When chewing is impaired, horses may also swallow feed before it’s adequately broken down, which can result in long pieces of hay or grass in the manure. “Poor chewing can be
particularly problematic, as it can cause a horse to choke or increase the risk for certain types of colic,” Johnson said. In more advanced cases of dental disease, horses may lose weight or show
discomfort while being ridden, including head shaking, reluctance to the bit or holding the head in an abnormal position to avoid pain. Additional signs of dental Continued on next page
Annual Bull Sale
MARCH 18, 2026, At the Ranch, Salmon, Idaho 1PM MST 140 Yearling Bulls - ALL PAP TESTED
LOT 8 LCC Republic 537
LOT 10 LCC Prolific 560
AAA 21409523
AAA 21411484
SIRE: Ellingson Prolific MGS: Riverbend 1682 E219 CED +5 BW +1.7 WW +83 YW +153 MILK +30 $M +101 $W +87 $C +325
SIRE: Raven Republic MGS: Sitz Accomplishment 720F CED +12 BW +0 WW +73 YW +125 MILK +25 $M +82 $W +78 $C +223
LOT 17
LOT 11
LCC Eternity 5124
LCC Prolific 524
AAA 21411447 SIRE: Ellingson Prolific MGS: Sitz Resilient 10208
CED -3 BW +3.9 WW +87 YW +158 MILK +29 $M +84 $W +82 $C +302
LOT 26
LCC Jameson N45
AAA 21409584 SIRE: Sitz Eternity 739L MGS: Tex Playbook 5437
AAA 21411445 SIRE: Basin Jameson 1076 MGS: Leadore Upward Z23
CED +3 BW +1.7 WW +79 YW +141 MILK +43 $M +92 $W +98 $C +276
CED +11 BW +.3 WW +100 YW +165 MILK +36 $M +73 $W +117 $C +303
Herd Sires Represented: AAR ESSENTIAL | RAVEN REPUBLIC | ELLINGSON BADLANDS 0285 CONNEALY CRAFTSMAN | SITZ ETERNITY | ELLINGSON PROLIFIC 1290
Lufkincattle.com
CARL & ROBIN LUFKIN
71 PRICE CREEK ROAD | SALMON, IDAHO Superiorlivestock.com 208.303.0438 | lufkincattle@gmail.com FREE DELIVERY IN IDAHO & ADJACENT STATES
April 7, 2026
1:30 pm | Belle Fourche Livestock Craig and Deb Kukuchka & Family 605-892-2875 Bar 69 Resilient 5702 ACT BW 86 WR 122 CED 4 BW 1.2 WW 88 YW 147
Selling sons of Sterling Pacific, Sitz Resilient 10208, LAR Man In Black, Millar’s Duke, Ellingson Badlands, Sitz Stellar 726D
70 50
Powerful Yearling Angus Bulls Fancy Commercial Replacement Heifers
Videos and catalog available at BAR69Angus.com