It is a question that is brought forward now and again. People will ask “I often swim quite a bit for exercise…is it safe for my teeth?….will it damage my teeth?”

Dental Teeth and Swimming

Dental Teeth and Swimming

To explore this question a bit more we need to consider two important aspects of pool water; one is the pH and two the chlorination.

The pH is the measure of how basic or acidic the pool water. Whereas, the chlorination is to ensure the pool water is clean. If the swimming pool doesn’t get enough base to counter the acid from the chlorine, it can become acidic. Therefore, if the pool water is too acidic and chlorinated this can be very damaging for your teeth, and can lead to dental erosion.

Dental erosion or perhaps more accurately described as dental corrosion, is the loss of hard tissue from the tooth surface. This can lead to the issue of the teeth physically wearing down, which in turn can cause sensitivity and even discoloration. Dental erosion can be very serious because for the most part it is an irreversible process, once the mineral from the tooth is gone, it is permanent.

Now, before you become too worried about swimming again or changing your exercise habits it is important to know that this is generally only of concern if you are swimming often in a improperly maintained pool; in which the pool has imbalanced chlorine and  pH levels.

Previously, experts at the New York University College of Dentistry have issued a warning to users of backyard swimming pools. Stating that pools that are improperly maintained can cause severe and rapid erosion of dental enamel.

For the most part swimming in properly maintained and regulated pools will have a very low to nil trouble in regards to causing any dental erosion to your teeth. If you swim in your own pool, it may be prudent to exercise caution and have the water checked professional to determine if the water is properly balanced.

 

If you wish for more information on Dental Erosion, Swimming and your teeth, please do not hesitate to contact Skygate dental today on (07) 3114 1199 or 0406 579 197.