As warned by World Health Organization, tooth decay is one of world's most prevalent health problems in industrialized and especially in developing countries. An estimate of 90% people in United States has at least one cavity. Children and senior citizens are two groups of people at highest risk. In children, it usually happens when sugar-laden foods such as candies are frequently left on teeth. In mouth, there are bacteria that live in plaque (a sticky, whitish film produced by our saliva) that convert sugar into acids. These acids eat away tooth's protective coating also known as enamel. Excessive destruction of this outer surface of tooth results in tooth decay.

What makes adults also prone to being afflicted with tooth decay is when aging causes gums to move back from teeth. Combined with gum disease, this gum recession exposes tooth root to plaque. This will cause breakdown of tooth root. People who already have a number of dental restorations (fillings and crowns) may also suffer from tooth decay, especially around teeth's edges, or margins.

The cost of spoiling your sweet tooth. Tooth decay, particularly in front teeth, may become an impediment towards achieving a pleasing appearance, thus affecting self-esteem. Cavities can also impact an individual's emotional and social well being by causing pain and discomfort from toothache. In addition to this, it can also cause some serious health problem like malnutrition by interfering with an individual's ability to eat certain foods. If tooth decay is not treated early, complication from infection could cause swelling of face and neck, fever and blood poisoning.

Now, I am not condemning sensible drinking or occasionally eating ‘wrong’ type of food as a rare treat but daily ingestion of such substances simply leads to poor health and a whole host of related negativity.

The question, though, is what are alternatives? How can I relax and unwind without a few drinks?

The truth of matter is this. A real, instantly accessible, answer is within you and you do it each day without even thinking about it. If you learn to harness this inner power you will, literally, have a way of eliminating stress, or at least greatly reducing it, without need for things that are bad for you.

What is this ‘inner power’ I hear you cry! Very simply, it is your breath!

By learning a few simple exercises you can go a long way to beating stress while feeling healthier and more positive. If you perform repetitive actions such as deep breathing exercises then this helps in blocking out stressful thoughts. The more you repeat activity and become proficient at it easier it will be to unwind.