Nothing is more refreshing than playing around in a swimming pool on a hot day. Some people visit their local community pool or participate in backyard swim and BBQ afternoons. Many children are involved in camp programs that include daily swimming lessons and open swim. If you are lucky enough to have your own pool, you may plunge in daily when temperatures are at their highest. Unfortunately, there are some downfalls to having regular exposure to swimming pool water. Besides drying out your skin and turning your hair green, you may not be aware; it can actually promote tooth erosion or tooth staining.
“Researchers at New York University (NYU) and The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) have both reported that prolonged exposure to unbalanced pool water can result in tooth stains and the erosion of tooth enamel. Also, The American Journal of Epidemiology published the results of a survey of close to 750 competitive swimmers, from 1986 to the present. About 39 per cent of them had experienced tooth enamel erosion and stains”.
Swimming pools need to be kept at a pH level of about 7.5. If that level increases to more than 7.8 ( pH to high) , the water is in an alkaline state. Studies show that when children and adults swam for more than six hours each week in an alkaline pool, they were at a higher risk for developing stained teeth. Unsightly stains appear as a result of the high pH water combined with minerals that are present in the mouth, breaking down proteins in the saliva. Chlorine can deposit residue on your teeth, turning them yellow or brown after constant exposure. This condition typically only affects swimmers who spend over six hours a week in chemically treated water. Let your dentist know if you notice these stains on your teeth or your children's teeth.
Another problem, which can result when swimming pool water isn’t properly balanced, is that the pH level is too low. A pH level below 7.2 is considered an acid environment. Have you ever felt burning in your eyes and nose just from the strong chemical smell of pool water? This isn’t necessarily the effect of excessive chlorine; this is the result of low pH level. It makes the water very corrosive to your teeth and irritating to your skin. Adults and kids who swim in acidic water for several hours each week are susceptible to tooth enamel erosion.
Luckily, tooth staining from swimming can be removed by a dental cleaning. If you see this discolouration developing on yours or a child’s teeth, contact your dentist to address the problem right away. It might be necessary for more frequent professional cleanings to occur during the summer months, or whenever pool use is most frequent. It is also necessary to maintain the pool’s pH balance correctly, as acidic erosion is much more difficult to treat than staining and unfortunately is not reversible.
Have fun swimming but remember to check the pH of your pool regularly.
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