HEALTH AND DISEASE 



FRACTURE OF THE TEETH 



The incisor teeth are sometimes broken by external violence, and the 

 same accident may result to the molar teeth from being brought forcibly 

 together while a piece of stone, or a nail, or some other hard substance 

 is interposed between them. 



Fracture of the incisor teeth commonly results from the animal falling 

 forcibly on the mouth. The breakage here is usually in a transverse 

 direction, while in the molars it extends from the crown towards the 

 fang. Much less importance attaches to the one than to the other. 

 Fracture of the latter causes severe toothache, and seriously interferes 

 with mastication, while at the same time it permits the food to enter 

 the alveolus, or socket, which gives lodgment to the fangs, and lays 

 the foundation for further mischief. 



In all cases where a tooth is fractured vertically, so as to interfere 

 with the fang, it should be removed, or failing this, in case of an incisor, 

 it should be broken off short so that the gum may overgrow the stump. 

 (See "Minor Operations".) 



Fractured teeth may be recognized by the blackish -yellow discolora- 

 tion which they undergo, and the offensive odour they give out, as well 

 as by the accumulation of food in the line of the crack. 



CARIES 



Decayed teeth are comparatively infrequent. 



be 



The causes are said to 

 external injury, and 

 chronic inflammation of 

 contiguous structures, as 

 gums inflamed by lodgment 

 of food in the interdental 

 spaces. It has been observed 

 that caries is more frequent 

 in horses having the teeth 

 abnormally wide apart. De- 

 cay may commence at the 

 fang, the neck, or the crown; 

 the neck is perhaps the com- 

 monest seat of the disease. 

 Among the symptoms of this disease are difficult mastication, quidding 

 the food, slobbering at the mouth, enlargement of the jaw, which may be 



Fig. 126.— Caries 



