Prevalence of dental erosion among young competitive swimmers: a pilot study

The objective of the study presented was to determine the prevalence of oral problems--eg, dental erosion, rough surfaces, pain--among young competitive swimmers in India, because no such studies are reported. Its design was a cross-sectional study with a questionnaire and clinical examination protocols. It was conducted in a community setting on those who were involved in regular swimming in pools. Questionnaires were distributed to swimmers at the 25th State Level Swimming Competition, held at Thane Municipal Corporation's Swimming Pool, India. Those who returned completed questionnaires were also clinically examined. Questionnaires were analyzed and clinical examinations focused on either the presence or absence of dental erosions and rough surfaces. Reported results were on 100 swimmers who met the inclusion criteria. They included 75 males with a mean age of 18.6 ± 6.3 years and 25 females with a mean age of 15.3 ± 7.02 years. Among them, 90% showed dental erosion, 94% exhibited rough surfaces, and 88% were found to be having tooth pain of varying severity. Erosion and rough surfaces were found to be directly proportional to the duration of swimming. The authors concluded that the prevalence of dental erosion, rough surfaces, and pain is found to be very common among competitive swimmers. They recommend that swimmers practice good preventive measures and clinicians evaluate them for possible swimmer's erosion.