Chlorine and teeth?

[naiad]

I have been doing pool training twice a week for almost 3 years now, and also swimming, so that adds up to a lot of pool time. Recently I have noticed that my front teeth are roughened and stained. It doesn't come off with brushing, unlike coffee and other stains. The only thing I can think of that could have caused it is the exposure to chlorine, as I don't use any unusual dental products, and I don't smoke, hardly ever drink coffee, etc.

Also, during apnea I don't close my mouth completely, so the water is in contact with my teeth.

I did a Google search and it seems that chlorine can cause dental erosion.

Anyone else noticed this? I'm not about to give up freediving though.

Lucia

[Mr. X]

Originally Posted by naiad

I have been doing pool training twice a week for almost 3 years now, and also swimming, so that adds up to a lot of pool time. Recently I have noticed that my front teeth are roughened and stained. It doesn't come off with brushing, unlike coffee and other stains. The only thing I can think of that could have caused it is the exposure to chlorine, as I don't use any unusual dental products, and I don't smoke, hardly ever drink coffee, etc.
...

Hi Naiad, I've put in quite a lot of pool time in over the years - & was doing 2-5 sessions per week most of last year and have not noticed any problems. A friend is a dive instructor, until very recently he swam every lunch time, every week (for at least the last 2 years) plus teaching in a pool several times a week. He has never commented on any problems but I will ask him now that you have raised it. Unless you work with dolphins, I can't imagine many folk spend more time in a pool than him.

The obvious answer would be to visit a dentist, get a clean-up & ask them about it. (Plax mouthwash is pretty good at getting a smooth, after-dentist-like cleaness to your teeth -- remarkably effective. Dentene gum might also help. Lots of whitening products about these days.). Teeth are mainly calcium carbonate...presumably any chlorine reaction would tend to produce things like calcium chloride (salty, white, soluble) and/or calcium hypochlorite (a bleaching compound which they put in swimming pools & drinking water). Perhaps just cut down a tad on the cola, brown ale, beef jerky, liquorice sticks & chewin' bakky!

BTW I do sometimes find that pool swimming makes my hair dryer and a little brittle /straw like. I used to use a shampoo & soap called Ultra Swim which is much more effective at removing chlorine than regular soaps, gels & shampoos.

[naiad]

Originally Posted by Mr. X

Perhaps just cut down a tad on the cola, brown ale, beef jerky, liquorice sticks & chewin' bakky!

I hadn't thought of that!

I will ask the dentist. Maybe different pools use different additives? Some pools have something which tastes salty.

I will look for the Ultra Swim shampoo. My hair is dryer, and a bit bleached by chlorine. The ringlets seem to survive the swimming though. I went to the SETT with that hairstyle, and they were still mostly curled when I came home.

[knoodelhed]

Paging Dr Maas! Maybe he can weigh in on this.

[MKDVR]

Chlorine or technically bleach is severely corrosive. Seen it eat lots of stuff. You could do a little experiment if you should happen to have a spare tooth laying around. Drop it into a cup of bleach for awhile and see what happens. It may start to bubble right away if it's eating it up but may take longer.

[crusty]

We had a few of the Elite swimmers at out local pool get Chlorine poisoning.

The pool is indoor and needs alot of Chlorine to keep the bugs under control
and they were training two times per day 5 days a week, they had their imune system shut down and became severly run down.
They were absorbing it through their skin

Out door pools are the best or pools that use Bromide ( salt water)

Im in a pool about 6 times a week over summer for water polo and Breath hold training ( for spear fishing ) and i have noticed that a small fungus infection on my chest that the doctors cant get rid of dissapers over summer ,but now its winter and im not training it has come back.
So the chlorine is strong enough to kill it for a while

I have never herd of chlorine harming teeth, the only thing i hear is the girls winging its turning their blond hair yellow.

Crusty

[naiad]

Chlorine is definitely corrosive to diving gear and swimsuits. Almost all swimsuits don't last long because of chlorine. Only the Speedo Endurance range is really chlorine resistant.

Chlorine poisoning? That doesn't sound good.

[JustinF]

Ummmm I hate to say this, but as far as I know, the satly taste in fresh water is, ummmm it's pee!

[MKDVR]

Originally Posted by naiad

Chlorine is definitely corrosive to diving gear and swimsuits. Almost all swimsuits don't last long because of chlorine. Only the Speedo Endurance range is really chlorine resistant.

Chlorine poisoning? That doesn't sound good.

I used to get true chlorine poisoning once a week. Gives you shortness of breath for a few days. One of the factors in my leaving the business recently. Not conducive to freediving.

[Mr. X]

Originally Posted by JustinF

.... as far as I know, the satly taste in fresh water is, ummmm it's pee!

...and how exactly do you know that JustinF? No, please don't answer that.

[Mr. X]

Originally Posted by naiad

I will look for the Ultra Swim shampoo. My hair is dryer, and a bit bleached by chlorine. The ringlets seem to survive the swimming though. I went to the SETT with that hairstyle, and they were still mostly curled when I came home.

It doesn't look like you drink a lot of brown ale or chew bakky from that picture.

[JustinF]

If you've ever been in a swimming pool with children and thier parents around, you will know!

Child: "Mom, I have to go"
Mom: leaning in and nodding slightly annoyed "Just go.."

This is why I don't go to the pool anymore!

[naiad]

Originally Posted by MKDVR

I used to get true chlorine poisoning once a week. Gives you shortness of breath for a few days. One of the factors in my leaving the business recently. Not conducive to freediving.

I would be interested to know more.

Last year, for no apparent reason, I suddenly got a serious chest infection, with severe wheezing and shortness of breath. It felt like my lungs were full of sticky stuff, and it was hard work breathing. I went to the doctor, got prescribed antibiotics and soon felt better, but I have still not fully recovered. For the last few weeks it has been improving a lot, so I hope it will eventually be completely better. I had no past history of asthma, chest infections, or any other lung disease, and lung function tests have always been above average.

I am still trying to work out what could have caused it.

Could this have been chlorine poisoning? I know that at one of the pools where I train, at one time the chlorine level was found to be well over the acceptable limit and swimmers were complaining of skin rashes.

[MKDVR]

Originally Posted by naiad

I would be interested to know more.

Last year, for no apparent reason, I suddenly got a serious chest infection, with severe wheezing and shortness of breath. It felt like my lungs were full of sticky stuff, and it was hard work breathing. I went to the doctor, got prescribed antibiotics and soon felt better, but I have still not fully recovered. For the last few weeks it has been improving a lot, so I hope it will eventually be completely better. I had no past history of asthma, chest infections, or any other lung disease, and lung function tests have always been above average.

I am still trying to work out what could have caused it.

Could this have been chlorine poisoning? I know that at one of the pools where I train, at one time the chlorine level was found to be well over the acceptable limit and swimmers were complaining of skin rashes.

What I was getting at was the misnomer between chlorine and bleach. Chlorine is UN1017. Bleach is UN1791. Liquid chlorine is held in low pressure cylinders. It gases off quickly in the atmosphere and you will never see it in liquid form. It corrosive and an inhalation hazard. Not deadly like cyanide but will ruin your day. I was exposed everyday but experience keeps you out of trouble most of the time. Bleach is a product of mixing chlorine, sodium hydroxide, and water.

Bleach is mostly commonly used in pools but can be stronger than regular bleach at 18%. Store bought is 5%. On larger commercial pools there may be a system for injecting them with chlorine from cylinders. Hook up to the sytem and turn it on. I don't know much about that end of it but you can't inject chlorine directly to water. It would just gas off and come right out of it in a green cloud. That's what the sodium hydroxide is for. It holds the chlorine in the water. On the commercial systems I'm not sure exactly how they get the chlorine to hold. Beyond my scope.

On your symptoms. They are compatible with being exposed to chlorine. At that point it would have dried you out to some extent also. Dry mouth and throat. Scratchy. It would have gone away in a few days. I think there is something else going on though because would have smelled it, starting choking, and ran like hell.

Being exposed to excess bleach in the pool? Obviously your eyes would be burning at the least. On the severe end your whole body would be burning up.
Bleach fumes could give you those symptoms as well. The thing is that you would know pretty quick that something was wrong. The exposures I'm talking about usually take place in an industrial setting but can happen elsewhere. :shrug:

[naiad]

Thanks for the reply. Maybe my problem was caused by chlorine. Whatever the reason, I will try to find another kind of fitness training which is not swimming, to reduce exposure to pool chemicals.