Once a year, the dentist comes out to Hillview to inspect the horses' teeth. Horse teeth continue to grow throughout their lifetime, which is also one way you can determine a horse's age. By eating and chewing domestic, man-made grains, horses will wear out one side of the tooth surface more quickly, creating an uneven grinding surface on the top of the molars, called "points." This sharp point can potentially be painful to the horse. The dentist will use a rasp to smooth the point and make the tooth more level (although not completely flat). This procedure is known as "floating the horse's teeth." Just like humans, horses, too, acquire tartar buildup on their teeth which the dentist will also remove. Proper dental work also ensures that the bit will sit comfortably in the horse's mouth and that the horse will be able to chew their food properly. With a professional dentist, most horses do not need to be sedated or tranquilized for these procedures and allow the speculum to hold open their mouths.