Redwood Dental Smiles: Blog

You may think you have your oral care routine down pat. You brush your teeth for at least two minutes twice a day, floss at least once a day, and rinse with mouthwash to prevent bad breath. However, there is always room for improvement. After you’ve given your teeth a good brushing, Dr. Vijay Munagala of Redwood Dental Smiles suggests focusing on your tongue. The tongue should always be a healthy pink in color. If you notice a white film harboring on the tongue, this is dental plaque that accumulated from the carbohydrates you’ve been eating. You can choose to brush it away with a toothbrush, but your best bet is investing in a tongue scraper that will eliminate all of the bacteria. A tongue scraper is a device that can be purchased at your local drug store. It will keep the breath fresh and leave your mouth feeling extra clean. If you have questions or concerns regarding preventive dentistry, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit  www.red

At Redwood Dental Smiles, Dr. Vijay Munagala offers several restorative options to replace missing teeth and in this blog post, we are going to discuss dental implants. Dental implants are replacement tooth roots that provide a strong foundation and are designed to look like your natural teeth. Regardless if teeth are missing from trauma or decay, dental implants are a safe and effective way to restore your smile for more than 10 years. Dental implants restore a lost tooth so that it looks, feels, fits, and functions like a natural tooth. Dental implants will also help you retain your shape of the face, as missing teeth can make the facial features sag, leaving a person looking older than they actually are. Dental implants are built to last and withstand the forces of chewing. They will also improve the way you speak, and allow you to enjoy the foods you love without any pain. If you have questions or concerns regarding dental implants or restorative dentistry, please give us a call. T

Did you know that dental examinations can help protect you from cancer? We at Redwood Dental Smiles in Castro Valley are observing National Oral Cancer Awareness Month by educating the public on which symptoms to look out for and how dentists are on the front lines of detecting this deadly disease. Oral cancer is a serious menace when it is not caught in time. Only about 60% of people who are diagnosed with it live longer than five years, and a little less than 50,000 Americans get diagnosed with it each year. Typically, oral cancer is associated with the use of tobacco and alcohol and is found in middle-aged people. However, cancer in the top of the throat, in a region called the oropharynx, is becoming increasingly common due to HPV and is showing up more in younger people. During a dental examination, a doctor will inspect the patient’s mouth for common symptoms such as discoloration and cysts or areas that are crusted over. They may also shine a special light in the patient’s mouth

We’re prepared at Redwood Dental Smiles in Castro Valley to help repair damage to our patients’ teeth, but we want them to know how to prevent it, too. One of the more common causes of toothaches is acid reflux, which causes the teeth to lose their protective covering. Acid reflux occurs when stomach acid is able to escape through an open sphincter into the esophagus. A person is diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) if this happens multiple times in a week. Stomach acid is highly corrosive and burns the esophagus as it moves, causing the patient to feel heartburn. If it gets as far as the mouth, it wears away dental enamel, causing the teeth to look glazed and discolored before becoming pitted. Because of their position, the upper back teeth are the first to be affected. Bonding and partial crowns can be used to restore lost enamel, but the problem will recur until the acid reflux is brought under control. Patients should avoid smoking and not drink alcohol or consume