Epidemiological survey on equine cheek tooth infundibular caries in the United Kingdom.

The research paper investigates the prevalence, distribution, severity and possible environmental risk factors of a dental disorder known as infundibular caries (IC) in UK horses. It was found that 45.5 per cent of the 706 horses examined had IC, and the disorder was more severe in certain teeth. Factors such as the horse’s age could influence the prevalence of the disorder.

Objective of the Research

• The main goal of this study is to determine the prevalence of IC in UK horses, given that no accurate data existed prior to this research.
• Another objective was to examine the distribution and severity of IC amongst the horses and assess how it varies between different infundibulae and teeth.
• The study also aimed to identify potential environmental risk factors that could increase the likelihood of a horse developing this dental disorder, with a specific interest in the role of feeding high levels of concentrates.

Research Methodology

• The research involved a survey where 25 experienced personnel across the UK were asked to fill a questionnaire on their patients using well-defined criteria for grading and recording IC.
• In order to analyze data collected, two statistical methods were used: McNemar’s tests (to compare the frequency of IC occurrence between individual teeth and infundibulae) and univariable logistic regression (to examine potential risk factors for IC presence).

Key Findings

• Of the 706 horses examined, 45.5 per cent had IC, displaying that the disorder is quite prevalent amongst UK horses.
• IC was most commonly present and most severe in the Triadan 09s teeth, with 13.4 per cent of all rostral and 10 per cent of all caudal infundibulae being affected by the disorder.
• The prevalence of IC was found to increase with a horse’s age, suggesting that age is a significant risk factor for developing the disorder.
• Regional factors were also found to influence the prevalence of IC, as the smallest occurrence of the disorder was recorded in South West England.
• Despite the initial hypothesis, the study does not mention if a horse’s diet, especially high levels of concentrates, is a contributing factor to the onset of IC.