What does Chlorine do to your Teeth?
Often times we have patients with discolored enamel around their brackets. One of the first things to take in consideration, especially in teens, is every day activities, like swimming.
Chlorine is one of the leading causes of teeth discoloration and many people aren’t aware of the problem because you can’t see the pH balance of a pool. This is also known as “Swimmer’s calculus.” Pools have a high pH level that stains teeth brown and prevents saliva from doing its job in cleansing the mouth. Poor pH balance in a pool can also cause the enamel of teeth to soften, making teeth more susceptible to damage and decay, as well as more sensitive in general.
As the enamel of your teeth wears down from exposure to chlorine, it becomes discolored. Poor enamel health is common in competitive swimmers because of prolonged exposure to chlorine which could also cause sensitivity.
How can you protect your teeth from Chlorine?
The best recommendation to prevent chlorine from staining your teeth, would be to try and keep your mouth shut while you’re in the pool. This is nearly impossible to prevent, but the less amount of pool water you get in your mouth, the better.
Another important thing to do, is to brush and floss your teeth as soon as you get out of the pool. You don’t want the chlorine to sit on your teeth any longer than necessary. We suggest always bringing your toothbrush when you go to the pool to swim.
If you love to swim, make sure you have toothpaste with MI Paste or baking soda. Both of these can help fight the acid caused by pools and lessening the chances of chlorine discoloration of your teeth.
