Periodontal Disease in Horses Becomes a Priority

University veterinary hospitals and private practitioners have begun to treat and prevent periodontal disease in horses with a new piece of dental equipment called the Equine Dental System. The Universities of Georgia, Illinois, and California

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University veterinary hospitals and private practitioners have begun to treat and prevent periodontal disease in horses with a new piece of dental equipment called the Equine Dental System. The Universities of Georgia, Illinois, and California (Davis) are working in partnership with the developer of the equipment, a pharmaceutical company, and a dental equipment company to study the benefits of tooth cleaning and restoration in horses. Several veterinarians with dental specialties have already adopted the new methods in their practices.


Until the past several years, most equine dentistry was limited to floating and extractions. Signs of periodontal disease creep up in many horses’ mouths as the teeth wear–including gingival (gum) inflammation and/or recession, foul odor, tartar buildup, and decay, often leading to extraction. The frustration with not having a tool to remove feed and debris lodged between and in the teeth bred the development of an air abrasion device called the Equine Dental Unit for horses. Tony Basil of Pacific Equine Dental Institute, developer of the device, has provided units to the universities for the studies, and he has made them available to veterinarians and dental technicians for purchase.


The device is powered by nitrogen and consists of a 10-inch hand piece with two openings on the end. One sprays a dental cleaning solution, the other a powder delivered at 150 pounds per square inch and driven by an inert gas. Bryan Umstead, DVM, a private practitioner who uses the device in Livermore, Calif., said, “The powder is a mixture of sodium bicarbonate to counteract the acidic environment around the teeth, and there’s a small amount of sand or silica that acts as little beads to blast the feed. If there is some tartar and plaque, you can see it come off like sandblasting a building.”


In more severe cases (a grading system has been developed), large pockets around teeth in the gums might have formed, waiting to trap more debris and promote decay—some as deep as 0.8 inches (20 mm). In those cases, the pockets are cleaned and filled with a flowable polymer called Doxi-robe, which has been furnished to the universities by Pharmacia. Doxi-robe was designed for canine use, and it is injected with a blunt needle into the space. When it hits moisture, it hardens, and the body slowly receives a dose of antibiotic. Typically, after two or three treatments, the problem is resolved, and the nearby tooth is saved

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Written by:

Stephanie L. Church, Editorial Director, grew up riding and caring for her family’s horses in Central Virginia and received a B.A. in journalism and equestrian studies from Averett University. She joined The Horse in 1999 and has led the editorial team since 2010. A 4-H and Pony Club graduate, she enjoys dressage, eventing, and trail riding with her former graded-stakes-winning Thoroughbred gelding, It Happened Again (“Happy”). Stephanie and Happy are based in Lexington, Kentucky.

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