Drugs and Dentistry

Drugs and dentistry just go together – whether it’s numbing your mouth to pull a tooth or putting you under to extract your wisdom teach. Fortunately, when I was a kid, going to the dentist was a positive experience. We got to pick a prize out of the treasure chest if we were good and Momma always took us out to lunch afterward.

Ransom just had his first visit from the dentist (at least since I’ve had him). He too had a positive experience, thanks to a sedation “cocktail” that put him in a happy place. It wasn’t long before he stood with legs splayed, body swaying, and head propped up in a sling with a metal contraption to keep his mouth open. At five years old, Ransom now has all his permanent adult teeth, so there was lots of work to be done.

I’ve watched equine dentists before, but learned even more while Rich worked on Ransom. After floating the sharp edges off Ransom’s molars, filing his canines, and smoothing the hooks developing on his incisors, Rich put “bit seats” on Ransom’s first lower molars by rounding the tooth edge. The folds of skin in the corner of a horse’s mouth press against the first molar from the action of the bit, and a sharp tooth can cause discomfort.

When Ransom was conscious enough to make the trek back to his stall, we departed. Still in a semi-drugged daze, his hooves dragged and his head hung low. But he perked up when his reward drove past – dinner.