Post mortem survey of peripheral dental caries in 510 Swedish horses.
Authors: Gere I, Dixon P M
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Peripheral Dental Caries in Horses: A Swedish Post Mortem Survey Peripheral cementum caries affecting equine cheek teeth represents a poorly understood condition with potentially serious consequences if left to progress, yet its true prevalence and clinical significance remain largely undocumented in veterinary literature. Dixon and colleagues examined 510 equine skulls from Swedish abattoirs, documenting the distribution and severity of peripheral caries across the population. Peripheral caries occurred in 6.1% of horses examined, predominantly affecting the three caudal cheek teeth (Triadan 09–11) in mature animals, with food material typically adhering tightly to lesions—a factor likely promoting disease progression. Of particular concern, 32% of affected horses displayed concurrent infundibular caries across multiple maxillary teeth (averaging 9.7 per skull), alongside significantly elevated rates of diastemata and periodontal disease. The condition showed a striking association with trotting horses managed on high-concentrate and silage diets, averaging 8.1 years of age. The findings carry important implications for equine practitioners: peripheral cementum caries should feature in routine dental examinations, particularly in performance horses on intensive feeding regimes, as early identification may prevent progression to more serious secondary dental pathology. The interplay between diet, tooth anatomy and mechanical factors warrants further investigation to establish both preventive strategies and evidence-based treatment protocols.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Check the caudal cheek teeth (especially Triadan 09-11) and peripheral cementum during routine dental examinations in trotting horses on high-concentrate diets, as peripheral caries can progress to serious dental disease
- •Be alert to increased diastemata and periodontal disease adjacent to PC lesions, and consider dietary management (lower concentrate, different forage) as a preventive strategy
- •Recognize that peripheral caries frequently coexists with widespread infundibular caries; thorough imaging and examination of all maxillary teeth is warranted when PC is identified
Key Findings
- •Peripheral caries affected 6.1% (31/510) of skulls and was limited to cheek teeth, primarily affecting peripheral cementum
- •87% of PC in mature horses occurred in the 3 caudal cheek teeth (Triadan 09-11)
- •32% of PC-affected skulls had concurrent infundibular caries involving mean 9.7 maxillary cheek teeth
- •Trotting horses on high concentrate and silage diets with mean age 8.1 years were preferentially affected, with food tightly adherent to lesions