Summer is a great time to spend a lot of time playing in and around the water, but all of that fun can also come with added risks. Here’s what you should know about dental safety at the waterpark to help keep you and your family safe and having fun all summer long.
Chlorine and Your Teeth
Chlorine is important to keep the water your family swims in free of harmful bacteria, but all those chemicals can also have some negative effects, too. Too much chlorine in the water can erode the enamel of your teeth, leading to tooth sensitivity, but even properly chlorinated water can cause a condition called swimmer’s calculus. Swimmer’s calculus is when the chemicals leave a residue on your teeth and can result in yellow or brown stains. It typically only affects people who spend 6 hours or more in chlorinated water weekly, but that’s more common than many people realize in the summer.
If you notice increased sensitivity or staining on your teeth or your children’s teeth, or if members of your family are spending long hours in the water, talk to your dentist about how you can protect your family’s teeth from the negative effects of chlorine. Your dentist may recommend products with extra fluoride added to help strengthen your tooth enamel or more frequent cleanings to reduce the buildup of chemicals and stains.
When to Wear a Mouthguard
If you plan to play a pick-up game of water polo, volleyball or basketball in the water, it’s a good idea to pack a mouthguard in your pool bag and make sure your kids all have them too! Water can change the dynamic of these games from how they are played on land, but they are still high-contact sports with risk of injuries to both teeth and jaws. Dental safety at the waterpark doesn’t have to be stressful or complicated, it can be as simple as slipping on a mouthguard whenever you join a game!
Make an Emergency Kit
Before your family heads to the pool, talk to your dentist about things that may be good to keep on hand in a first aid emergency kit. Dental safety at the waterpark is an important topic in dental offices because they see the effects of it almost every day. Your dentist will be more than happy to advise you on how to keep your family safe and prepared in case of emergency.
Keep Your Dentist’s Number Handy
Make sure to also include a list of emergency phone numbers in any emergency kit in addition to your phone’s contacts so you as well as each family member always has your family’s doctors and dentist’s numbers handy when needed so you can get help or ask questions as quickly as possible.
Call our Lubbock Dental Office to make an appointment with a dentist who may be able to help you find out more about this topic, and improve your oral health.