Contrary to popular belief, your teeth are designed to last a lifetime. Even so, an increasing percentage of Americans wear dentures. Research for the American Dental Association and the Surgeon General states that 3 our of 4 adults experience periodontal (gum) disease at some time in their life. The good news, however, is that it can often be prevented or treated in its early stages. Among adults aged 35 to 44 percent have gingivitis, which the gums may become red, swollen and easily bleed. Severe periodontal disease causes damage to the gums, bone and other structures that support the teeth. When this happens, the teeth can become loose and fall out or may have to be removed.

Taken together, tooth cavities (dental caries) and gum (periodontal) disease, create a painful condition that causes tooth loss and is expensive to correct. Americans spend more than $40 billion a year to treat and slow the degeneration of their dental health.

A clean mouth is a healthy mouth. As the saying goes, "clean only the teeth you want to keep." In addition to conventional care, the main way to keep your mouth clean is to eat a sugar-free, natural foods diet. The bacteria that cause dental caries (Streptococcus) thrive on sugar.

And while you are concentrating on brushing and flossing, don’t overlook the fact that cleaning your tongue is a critical part of maintaining oral health. The bacteria which causes bad breath can reside on the tongue, especially the back of your tongue. Brush your tongue while brushing your teeth, or use a tongue scraper, which you’ll find in most health food stores. Tongue cleaning reduces bad breath, and helps prevent plaque.