{"id":506,"date":"2023-06-30T21:56:14","date_gmt":"2023-06-30T21:56:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.comaldental.com\/blog\/?p=506"},"modified":"2024-07-30T12:50:31","modified_gmt":"2024-07-30T12:50:31","slug":"why-swimming-in-a-pool-can-hurt-your-teeth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.comaldental.com\/blog\/why-swimming-in-a-pool-can-hurt-your-teeth\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Swimming in a Pool Harm Teeth?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Given the recent heat, you\u2019ve likely been swimming. The activity can certainly cool you off from these record highs. The next time you take a dip, though, exercise more caution. Swimming in a pool can hurt your teeth<\/a> if you aren\u2019t careful. That said, reducing this oral risk is possible with the right practices. Your New Braunfels dentist will even tell you about them. So, here\u2019s a summary of chlorine in pools, how it affects teeth, and ways to protect your smile from it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Context: Pools Contain Chlorine<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Among other things, pool water typically contains chlorine. This chemical plays a vital role in modern swimming areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Put simply, chlorine protects swimmers from waterborne illnesses. It kills disease-causing germs before they can enter your body. As a result, you\u2019re kept safe from conditions like diarrhea, skin rashes, coughing, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chlorine\u2019s inclusion in the water supply has greatly helped society. Before it was introduced, drinking water caused diseases that afflicted thousands yearly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Does Chlorine Affect Your Teeth?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Despite its upsides, chlorinated pool water isn\u2019t always helpful. It can greatly harm your teeth in some cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You see, pools with low pH levels hurt your enamel. The water they contain is so acidic that they wear down your top tooth layers. For that reason, swimming in them can cause severe tooth decay. This latter condition, also called \u201cswimmer\u2019s calculus,\u201d can stain teeth yellow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In light of these facts, you shouldn\u2019t allow your pool\u2019s pH balance to dip too low. The CDC recommends the levels of treated water be between 7.2 and 7.8. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Protect Teeth from Pool Water<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Of course, you can take steps to make pool water safer for teeth. Consider those listed below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n