Foals begin to get teeth at a few months of age. These first teeth are sequentially replaced by permanent teeth over the next five or six years. After that point, mature teeth continue to grow, wear and gradually wear out over the course of the horse's life. Routine dental exams and tooth care should not be overlooked. Your horse needs a routine check for points, hooks or sharp edges.
Veterinarians use a metal speculum or mouth gag to aid in the examination of the teeth and gums.
If points are found, your vet will file the sharp edge smooth using a number of tools called floats. As a horse matures, his teeth should be floated annually. Dental disease was found in more than 80 percent of the horses in a recent study at the University of Illinois. Five hundred horses, from six months to 30 years old, were examined to try to determine the extent and severity of dental disease. Sharp points, resulting in ulceration and inflammation of the gums, were seen most commonly in horses under 10 years.