Horse Teeth: 2025 Vet Guide to Anatomy, Care & Floating by Dr Duncan Houston 🦷🐴

Hello! I’m Dr Duncan Houston, veterinarian and founder of AskAVet.com. In this in-depth 2025 guide, we explore equine dental anatomy, eruption patterns, common dental issues (like wolf and canine teeth), the importance of floating, signs of dental disease, and expert care strategies to keep your horse chewing comfortably for life. 🧠✨

🔍 Understanding Equine Dental Anatomy

Horses are heterodont (multiple tooth types) and diphyodont (two sets of teeth) :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}. Most adult horses have between 36–44 permanent teeth by age five :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}:

• Incisors – 12 total (6 upper, 6 lower) for clipping forage.
• Canines – up to 4, more common in males, used for dominance displays :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}.
• Wolf teeth – vestigial first premolars in ~13–32% of horses; may interfere with the bit :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}.
• Premolars & Molars – 12 premolars and 12 molars, responsible for grinding forage :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}.

Teeth continually erupt to compensate for wear as horses graze—about ⅛″ per year—until older age when crowns shorten and chewing efficiency may decline :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}.

📈 Tooth Eruption & Aging

• Foals have deciduous (milk) teeth; permanent teeth replace them by around age five :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}.
• Incisors erupt: central (~2.5 yrs), intermediates (~3.5–4 yrs), corners (~4.5–5 yrs). Canines ~3.5–6 yrs :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}.
• Wolf teeth may erupt between 6 mo–3 yrs, then vary individually :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}.
• Eruption guides and incisor wear patterns aid approximate aging, but vary by breed and diet :contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12}.

⚠️ Common Dental Problems

• Sharp enamel points or hooks due to uneven wear—cause oral ulcers, bit resistance :contentReference[oaicite:13]{index=13}.
• Malocclusions—like wave mouth, shear mouth, and over/underrbite—affect chewing efficiency :contentReference[oaicite:14]{index=14}.
• Retained caps (baby teeth), cracked or loose teeth, infections or periodontal disease :contentReference[oaicite:15]{index=15}.
• Wolf and canine teeth can interfere with bit; wolf teeth often extracted in ridden horses :contentReference[oaicite:16]{index=16}.

🪥 Horse Teeth Floating

Floating is leveling enamel ridges and smoothing teeth to support proper chewing :contentReference[oaicite:17]{index=17}. Key points:

• Performed by vets or qualified equine dental technicians using manual or powered floats under sedation and speculum use :contentReference[oaicite:18]{index=18}.
• Recommended annually for most horses; more often for young, senior, or those with malocclusions :contentReference[oaicite:19]{index=19}.
• Tools include diamond/carbide floats, mouth speculums, suction or irrigation, and head support :contentReference[oaicite:20]{index=20}.
• Essential to avoid removing too much enamel; over-float risks pulp exposure and tooth damage :contentReference[oaicite:21]{index=21}.

⚠️ Warning Signs of Dental Disease

Monitor for any of these symptoms and seek timely dental care :contentReference[oaicite:22]{index=22}:

• Dropping feed (quidding), poor chewing, long hay stems in manure
• Weight loss despite adequate feeding
• Bad breath, facial swelling, nasal discharge, oral bleeding
• Bit avoidance behaviors—head toss, resistance, instability
• Changes in eating habits, prolonged chewing, excessive salivation

🧭 Lifelong Dental Care Recommendations

1. Schedule routine dental exams—at least yearly, twice for high-risk horses.
2. Address sharp points, hooks, or malocclusions with professional floating.
3. Evaluate wolf and canine teeth when bitting—remove wolf teeth if interfering.
4. Monitor behavior at the bit—consider dental exam if resistance occurs.
5. Implement sedation and proper restraint for safe and effective dental work.
6. Record dental findings and follow-ups to track progression and timing.

📲 2025 Vet Takeaways

Good dental health is vital to nutrition, comfort, performance, and overall wellbeing. With proper care—floating, timely extractions, and monitoring—your horse will enjoy a healthier mouth and a happier life.

Need help scheduling dental work, interpreting issues, or arranging sedation? Visit AskAVet.com or open our app for expert guidance, remote consultations, and reminders. Together, let’s keep those teeth in top shape! 💙🦷