Anyone who swims or scuba dives frequently could encounter some unique dental issues if they are not careful. Let's take a closer look at the big ones.

The longer teeth are exposed to acidic chlorine ions in pool water, the more likely they are to develop brown or yellow stains. These are called 'swimmer's calculus'. As good as chlorine is at keeping a public pool sanitary for all swimmers, it can become acidic enough to affect tooth enamel. Swimmers can minimize this effect by swimming with their mouths closed as much as possible and drinking plenty of water to rinse traces of pool water off of their teeth.

Scuba divers have a different set of concerns, particularly "tooth squeeze" or barodontalgia. That feeling of pressure building up in the ears when diving to the bottom of the pool is very similar to what happens inside each tooth, especially teeth with untreated cavities or ineffective dental treatment. The pressure can build to such a degree that it can even fracture teeth, which is why we strongly encourage divers to visit the dentist before starting a new diving season. Divers often also deal with ill-fitting scuba mouthpieces, which can lead to jaw strain and even TMD symptoms. We recommend getting a custom-fitted mouthpiece to protect the teeth and jaws.

The more you know, the more you grow!

We hope that you have a safe and adventurous summer!