If you’re an athlete, you’re probably used to thinking about how your passion affects your body, and how you can manage your health to achieve the best performance possible. However, you might not be aware that athletes often have unique challenges to their oral health as well.
For example, if you’re a swimmer, you might have heard that spending too much time in the pool could cause problems for your smile. Here’s what you should know about the relationship between swimming and your oral health.
Is Swimming in a Pool Bad for Your Teeth?
If you go swimming occasionally, there aren’t likely to be any negative impacts on your teeth. You should be able to cool off this summer without worrying about how pool water will affect you, provided that you’re taking care of your oral health in general.
However, if you’re a swimmer or if you spend an extended amount of time in the pool, the chlorinated water could potentially leave yellow deposits on your teeth, also known as “swimmer’s calculus.” This only really becomes a problem for people who spend more than six hours a week in chlorinated water.
Improperly chlorinated water can also potentially cause sensitive teeth, so if you swim in your home pool you should make it a point to ensure that the chemicals you used are well balanced.
Other Concerns for Swimmers
Besides just pool water, there are other concerns that swimmers ought to have regarding their oral health. For one, swimmers can sometimes put themselves at risk for injury, especially those who play high-impact sports like volleyball or water polo. This can easily cause you to chip or crack a tooth if you aren’t careful. For that reason, certain athletes may want to invest in a mouthguard that can keep their teeth protected.
You might also want to think about how you’re staying hydrated. If you’re overusing sugary sports drinks, you could potentially deal with tooth decay or other issues. In general, you might want to stick to just plain old water in order to stay hydrated.
About Our Practice
At Cromer & Cairns Dental, everyone on our dental team is deeply dedicated to helping your entire family smile their brightest, whether it’s through complex dental procedures or just regular checkups. We also make it a point to treat our patients with the upmost respect from the moment that you step into our office until you leave. That includes getting to know you as an individual, understanding your needs, and tailoring treatment specifically to you.
If you have any questions about how to protect your oral health as an athlete, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (772) 562-5051.