Malocclusions and Dental Diseases in Privately Owned Horses in the Mazovia Region of Poland.
Authors: Górski Kamil, Stefanik Elżbieta, Turek Bernard, Bereznowski Andrzej, Czopowicz Michał, Polkowska Izabela, Domino Małgorzata
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Dental Disorders in Polish Horse Populations Dental malocclusions and disease represent a significant welfare concern affecting horses globally, yet their prevalence varies geographically depending on local populations and management practices. Polish researchers examined 206 privately owned horses across the Mazovia region using standardised dental charting to document the distribution of malocclusions and pathological conditions across different age groups, sexes, and breeds. The findings were striking: 95% of horses presented with at least one dental disorder, distributed fairly evenly between incisor teeth (31%) and cheek teeth (31% each for premolars and molars), with malocclusions substantially more prevalent than active dental diseases across all demographic categories. Incisor problems manifested primarily as curvatures and calculus accumulation, whilst sharp enamel points and caries dominated the cheek tooth pathologies. These results underline the importance of routine preventative dental screening in European equine practice and suggest that regional disease profiles warrant investigation in other populations to refine evidence-based preventive protocols and treatment priorities for local practitioner communities.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Routine dental examinations should be a standard practice for all privately owned horses, as 95% prevalence suggests dental disorders are nearly universal in this population
- •Incisor and cheek teeth disorders occur with equal frequency; practitioners should give equal attention to all tooth groups rather than focusing primarily on molars
- •Different tooth types present different pathologies (incisors show curvatures/calculus; cheek teeth show enamel points/caries), suggesting targeted treatment and prevention strategies may vary by location
Key Findings
- •95% of 206 privately owned horses in Mazovia region demonstrated at least one dental disorder
- •Dental disorders were equally distributed between incisor teeth (31%) and cheek teeth (31% each for premolars and molars)
- •Malocclusions occurred with higher prevalence than dental diseases across all age, gender, and breed groups
- •Curvatures and calculus were most common in incisors; sharp enamel points and caries predominated in cheek teeth