A Prospective View of Oral and Dental Examination and Dental Diseases in Horses in İzmit and Karacabey Pension Hara of Turkey Jockey Club

This study, the aim was to prospectively examine the oral cavities and teeth of 300 horses of various age groups housed at the İzmit and Karacabey Pension Hara of the Turkish Jockey Club, focusing on dental disorders and dental diseases. Within the scope of the study, the oral cavities of the examined 300 horses were inspected, including the color of the oral mucosa, their appetite, whether they finished their feed, body condition scores, the type of feed they were fed, and whether salivation occurred during feeding. Following clinical examinations of the 300 horses, endoscopic and radiological examinations were performed, revealing dental disease and disorders, particularly in the molar teeth, in 59 horses. Among the group of 59 horses, consisting of stallions, broodmares, and yearlings aged 7-25 years, tooth extraction of deciduous teeth, tooth displacement, mobile teeth, caries, sharp-edged teeth, odontoclastic tooth resorption, and conditions such as equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis (EOTRH), fistula formation, gum abscess, gingivitis, and periodontitis were identified. Clinically, 54 out of 59 horses had their molar teeth rasped to correct sharp edges, resulting in the normalization of chewing movements and the ability of horses to consume their feed comfortably. Following treatment, the horses were monitored, and efforts were made to improve their nutrition and body condition scores. This study emphasizes the significance of oral health in horses and the impact of regular dental care on their overall well-being.