No two denturists are the same. If you have been wearing dentures for a while, you know that no two sets of dentures are the same. Finding a quality, experienced denturist can seriously impact the comfort of your dentures. You do not have to deal with loose plates, gums that are rubbed raw, distorted speech, and the inability to eat your favorite foods. If you have any of these problems, there are a few things that you can try before replacing your dentures. Use what I have learned over my 15 years of wearing dentures to find a perfect fit and optimum comfort in your dentures.
finding comfort when wearing dentures
Pools And Pearly Whites: Why This Combination Calls For A Back-To-School Cleaning
Priscilla Hansen
As summer vacations approach, visions of a season of splashing and swimming in the cooling waters of a swimming pool may dance in your head. By fall, you may notice unwelcomed changes in your child's smile. Find out how the chemically treated water in swimming pools can affect dental health and what you can do to address it by the time your child's next school portrait is taken.
The Chlorine Conundrum
You faithfully add chlorine to your swimming pool regularly to prevent the growth of algae and harmful organisms in the water. Continuing the practice of properly chlorinating your pool is necessary to prevent swimmers from contracting certain illnesses. Just be aware of some of the negative effects of chlorine exposure. Swimmer's calculus is one such effect that can be posed to those who wile away the hours in the pool. Swimmer's calculus is not caused by chlorine in itself. It is the result of an imbalance of chorine and pH in the pool's water and in their mouths.
Poolside Chemistry Class
To maintain the water in your swimming pool, the chlorine and pH levels must be checked regularly. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the chlorine level should be maintained within a 1.0 and 3.0 ppm range. The optimal range for the pH level in your swimming pool should fall between 7.2 and 7.8. That pH range is considered to be basic. When the pH level reads above 7.8, then it is said to be alkaline. At this level, exposure to the water for six hours or more each week can result in yellowish brown tartar deposits on your family's teeth. Proteins in human saliva are rapidly broken down when exposed to the treated pool water, allowing calculus deposits to take hold on the teeth. When the pH level reads lower than the normal range, it is defined as acidic, and the effects are more severe. Acidic pool water can lead to dental erosion. Luckily, most chlorination products are alkaline, which means that if you are maintaining your pool's chlorine level, then an acidic pH reading in your pool water is unlikely.
Preserve Those Pearly Whites
There are some steps that you can take to reduce the risk of swimmer's calculus on your family's smiles. Some proactive measures include the following:
- Discourage children from drinking the water from the swimming pool. Keep bottles of drinking water at arm's length poolside to encourage healthier hydration.
- Advise children to keep their mouths closed when swimming or playing with their faces in the water.
- Encourage children to brush their teeth with fluoride toothpaste after every swim session to remove any traces of chlorine that can raise the pH level in their saliva.
Although swimmer's calculus has a darker appearance, it is not dissimilar to the tartar buildup that your dental hygienist removes at regular dental cleaning appointments. The good news is that swimmer's calculus is just as easily removed in the same manner. Bookend the pool season with these appointments. Schedule a cleaning at the start of summer vacation so that your child takes his or her first plunge into the pool with a clean slate. By making another stop in the dentist's chair (such as one from Kappenman Family Dental) in between the final float on the inflatable raft and first date with the classroom chair, your child will start the next school year with a sparkling smile once again.
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