Brushing Teeth?

[Rachel_M]

After seeing the pictures in horse and hound of Equine dentistry and more to the point, bad teeth it made me wonder how can you let a horses mouth get into a state.

I try to brush horses teeth every couple of days and keep a check of them. Does anyone else brush and how often?


Horses will be horses and there are never going to have sparklers but the middle picture, with the food stuck in the mouth, surely could have been avoided??

 

[Christmas_Kate]

I have never heard of brushing a horses teeth before!

 

[Rachel_M]

I have always done it. Just got an old toothbrush at got rid of some of the muck, I guess I am just a freak!

 

[Meganrose]

Wow! Never heard of this before. Where did you get the idea from?

 

[Rachel_M]

Okay, now I really feel like I am a loony! Haha.

 

[Gentle_Warrior]

never touch his, is bad enough to put a bit in let alone brush his teeth, don't kno of anyone else doing it either.

But credit to you !!!

 

[Molineux]

Never done my horses teeth

However I do my doggie's teeth!! She has childrens tooth paste and a childrens toothbrush as its softer!

 

[alsxx]

My vet told me to do this to both of mine to get the bits of grass out that gets stuck between the teeth, apparantly this can lead to gingivitis (sp) - i generally just pick bits out with fingers rather than brushing! but woman on the yard brushes her veterans teeth who has really big gaps and she reckons his gums are ten times better than before!!

 

[Irishcobs]

Used to brush my old mares teeth as she had half a tooth missing at the front so used to get food stuck and get sore. I do occasionally brush my two when they have something stuck but don't generally. Should do really.

Do you do the back teeth and how? I tend to get the toothbrush eaten when I try.

 

[Llwyncwn]

After reading this thread last night, just as I was scrubbing feed buckets with my trusty bucket scrubber this morning (Tesco's own pan scrubber, non of yer tat you understand) one of the horses had his head over the stable door so I brushed his nose, as he opened his mouth to bite said brush I cleaned his front teeth - he loved it ! Do you think this could catch on? Perhaps a cottage industry could be born!

 

[Rachel_M]

I have always used a normal adults toothbrush- Very often an old one of mine I don't want, i just buy the three for a quid kind of ones anyhoos( Veeery Classy

) Some luke warm water, a sponge, to keep this horses teeth wet- easier to clean, wipe away any gunge and a bit of elbow grease- also a stepping block depending on which of the horses it was.

They tend to bite down like a clamp sometimes. If they do I let them have it, take no notice and wait till they drop it and start again. Eventually they can not be arsed putting up a fight. Once they realise it isn't edible they get bored. I think they learned that I finished brushing thier teeth sooner if they didn't bother me!

 

[Ellaxx]

[ QUOTE ]
I have always used a normal adults toothbrush- Very often an old one of mine I don't want, i just buy the three for a quid kind of ones anyhoos( Veeery Classy

) Some luke warm water, a sponge, to keep this horses teeth wet- easier to clean, wipe away any gunge and a bit of elbow grease- also a stepping block depending on which of the horses it was.

They tend to bite down like a clamp sometimes. If they do I let them have it, take no notice and wait till they drop it and start again. Eventually they can not be arsed putting up a fight. Once they realise it isn't edible they get bored. I think they learned that I finished brushing thier teeth sooner if they didn't bother me!

[/ QUOTE ]

thanks for the tip! might give it a try-more to see his reaction than anything else! just to confirm you dont use toothpaste...? also how often do u do it?
xx