Today, due to the economic climate it seems that more people are under deeper stress than before.  Life is definitely tough sometimes but with the US unemployment rate at or over ten percent, many believe the true number is higher, individual stress levels appear to be increasing.

So, what are some simple things we can do to alleviate stress? These may be obvious, but sometimes a little reminder is helpful.

1. Listen to your favorite music

2. There are alpha wave attunement CDs that allow your mind to move into an alpha wave state – also known as ‘relaxed alertness’.

3. Meditation – The most powerful and relaxing set of meditative exercises I know of are from Falun Dafa to be found for free at FalunDafa.org

4. Take time to quietly sit and think of nothing in particular – this is close to, but not as good as the meditation mentioned above. 

Another thing to be conerned about during times of higher stress is yor oral health.  Stress is a contributing / risk factor for gum disease.

To help counter act this use an oral irrigator like the hydrofloss.

Gum disease is a big problem anyway, and people need to know what they can do about this silent epidemic that may afflict up to 75% of all people according to statistics.  Some say the numbers are even higher.

Take a look at the special mouthwash made by a company called therabreath.

Finally, some people prefer a more natural approach to fighting oral health problems.  In that case, there is an essential oil blend known as oramd that you may find helpful. 

When stress levels are high, it is much easier for verbal and even physical conflicts to occur between people. Now is the time, more than ever, to keep a cool head and be kind, forgiving and compassionate to our fellow man.  As high as our personal stress level may be, remember your neighbor’s could be even higher. 

Forgive and forget and move on.

Finally, reward yourself by watching a cool, exciting and yet relaxing show called Shen Yun : ShenYunPerformingArts.org
 

There is an incredible misconception that you must have broken and crumbled teeth and receding gums as a consequence of aging. Is this really the truth?

I remember a coworker who broke a tooth while eating. The tooth split in half on some morsel of food that may or may not have been very hard. Even in the worse case scenario a piece of the tooth may have chipped, but for the tooth to split in half means there must have been some underlying weakness that allowed this to happen.

Our teeth are very important to us. We need them to eat – that is obvious. But we also need them to insure that our jaw does not deteriorate. You can lose bone mass when the jaw has no tooth to support. In addition, a lost tooth can cause your teeth to shift creating an uneven bite which in turn can cause uneven wear and tear on your teeth.

Therabreath makes a line of products that may be helpful to your dental health.

Oramd is an essential oil blend that is used as toothpaste.

The Hydro Floss is an oral irrigator – irrigators can help you in your efforts to reduce plaque build up between office visits

I will theorize for the rest of this article. I would speculate that my friend’s problem may have had two components. One would be nutritional and the other would be repetitive failure to maintain proper pH of the mouth.

Much depends on both – as I continue to speculate. You can imagine the teeth as being made of calcium and phosphate ions. When there is a more acidic environment those ions can be dissolved or ‘pulled’ right out of the enamel of your teeth, thereby weakening them. You could imagine that over time, this could be a problem.

Energy drinks, coffee drinks and fruit juices can all lower the pH of the environment in your mouth, making it more acidic. What if you consistently were to raise that pH back up after eating or drinking an acidic food or beverage?

Author:  David S.

For meditation – visit FalunDafa.org

Disclaimer: This article is for information and entertainment purposes only. It does not intend to render advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you have or think you might have gum disease or any other health problem, visit your periodontist or physician for advice, diagnosis and treatment. The USFDA has not evaluated statements about products in this article.