title: Prevalence of dental erosion in adolescent competitive swimmers exposed to gas-chlorinated swimming pool water.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to analyze the prevalence of dental erosion among competitive swimmers of the local swimming club in Szczecin, Poland, who train in closely monitored gas-chlorinated swimming pool water.
  
  
  METHODS
  The population for this survey consisted of a group of junior competitive swimmers who had been training for an average of 7 years, a group of senior competitive swimmers who had been training for an average of 10 years, and a group of recreational swimmers. All subjects underwent a clinical dental examination and responded to a questionnaire regarding aspects of dental erosion. In pool water samples, the concentration of calcium, magnesium, phosphate, sodium, and potassium ions and pH were determined. The degree of hydroxyapatite saturation was also calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dental erosion was found in more than 26 % of the competitive swimmers and 10 % of the recreational swimmers. The lesions in competitive swimmers were on both the labial and palatal surfaces of the anterior teeth, whereas erosions in recreational swimmers developed exclusively on the palatal surfaces. Although the pH of the pool water was neutral, it was undersaturated with respect to hydroxyapatite.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The factors that increase the risk of dental erosion include the duration of swimming and the amount of training. An increased risk of erosion may be related to undersaturation of pool water with hydroxyapatite components.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To decrease the risk of erosion in competitive swimmers, the degree of dental hydroxyapatite saturation should be a controlled parameter in pool water.
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry, Pomeranian Medical University, Al. Powstańców Wlkp. 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Buczkowska-Radlińska
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Łagocka
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kaczmarek
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Górski
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nowicka
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis; D002713:Chlorine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003481:Cuspid / Q000473:pathology; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000473:pathology; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017886:Durapatite / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005740:Gases; D054879:Halogenation; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D006997:Hypochlorous Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D007180:Incisor / Q000473:pathology; D008274:Magnesium / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D010710:Phosphates / Q000032:analysis; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D011188:Potassium / Q000032:analysis; D015995:Prevalence; D012964:Sodium / Q000032:analysis; D013550:Swimming; D013551:Swimming Pools; D013997:Time Factors; D014077:Tooth Erosion / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D004202:Disinfectants; D005740:Gases; D010710:Phosphates; D014867:Water; D002713:Chlorine; D006997:Hypochlorous Acid; D017886:Durapatite; D012964:Sodium; D008274:Magnesium; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium