The importance of dental hygiene is something I take very seriously and I hope you do too. Aside from bad breath, lack of concern regarding dental hygiene can lead to a host of other problems including lung disease.

Lung disease is now responsible for almost two and a half million deaths per year. Certain diseases and illnesses like emphysema and bronchitis are known to worsen as when receding of the gums occurs. It is also very likely that one can wind up with a respiratory tract infection when disease-causing organisms accumulate as a result of poor dental hygiene.

Another possible reason why poor dental hygiene leads to problems in the lungs has to do with bacteria that usually stick to the teeth. When the teeth are not cleaned properly, the bacteria plunges into the saliva and may be breathed into the upper airways of the lungs. This results in a change in the mouth environment and opens the door for other germs to infect the lower airways. When you combine oral conditions such as this with other unhealthy factors like smoking, allergies, environmental pollutants and certain genetics, it makes for some severe lung problems.

Did you know that gum disease can lead to stroke? According to the American Academy of Neurology, people with gum disease usually have an increased tendency to have blockages in the carotid arteries of the neck. This results in greater risk for stroke. The carotid arteries contain a build up of fatty plaque within them, which reduces blood flow to the brain. Aside from that, they can also promote clot formation, which increases the risk of stroke even more.

So how can one promote good dental hygiene? Most people would say brush your teeth 2-3 times using toothpaste with fluoride. Well before you start brushing with fluoride toothpaste, think about this. A leading Harvard toxicologist was fired just days before her interesting research regarding fluoride was about to be published. Her findings were that fluoride in water produced nervous system changes in rats that resemble attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Simply put, fluoride is actually a carcinogenic industrial waste! It also has some astounding effects on the enzymes in the body. Similar to a key in a lock, enzymes work by triggering specific reactions in the body by having the exact shape necessary. You can imagine that the body would incur some serious problems if those enzymes' shape happened to change for some reason. Well that's exactly what fluoride does. It changes the shape of the enzymes and when it does, they no longer fit.

This change causes what's known as an autoimmune situation to take place ion the body. An autoimmune situation occurs when the body attacks it self. Reason being is this. Enzymes are proteins and once they've been changed the body does not recognize them. They appear to be foreign looking and the body considers them invaders even though they're part of that body.

This change in enzyme shape can affect all systems of the body because they are all dependent upon enzymes. When the enzymes are altered by fluoride, damage can be caused in the following places:

• immune system
  
  
• digestive system
  
  
• respiratory system
  
  
• blood circulation
  
  
• kidney function
  
  
• liver function
  
  
• brain function
  
  
• thyroid function

Did you ever notice the warning statement on the back of your tooth paste that says, "Do not swallow! If ingested, please seek medical attention"?

Fluoride is the harmful ingredient that most people are aware of but most toothpastes also contain other chemicals such as saccharin and triclosan that can have some devastating effects on the body as well.

Dental hygiene is an extremely important component in attaining optimal health. But in your quest to practice proper dental hygiene, you must remember to do so safely and naturally. My recommendation is to brush on average 3 times per day using tooth paste that does not contain fluoride and make sure you floss regularly. It’s that simple.

I am currently evaluating some natural dental products from www.thenaturaldentist.com. These products are all derived from herbal ingredients. I have also heard dome great things about the products offered at www.gettoothsoap.com although I have yet to evaluate those products myself. I intend to in the very near future.