Redwood Dental Smiles: Blog

In its most advanced stages, gum disease can lead to gum recession, and even tooth loss.  At Redwood Dental Smiles, we want to make sure it never gets to that point for you and your family!  When plaque builds up on a tooth, the gum starts to pull away from the tooth and forms a pocket around the buildup, which only leads to more gum recession.  A scaling and root planing procedure is used to treat this buildup and prevent the later stages of gum disease. Scaling and root planning are two parts of a deep cleaning procedure your dentist can perform to help reverse the progress of gum disease.  The procedure beings with scaling, which is the process of the dentist removing plaque from the surface of the teeth, all the way down to the gums. Root planing is the term for any minor contouring to smooth the surface of a tooth near the root.  When plaque has been removed and the tooth root has been smoothed, the gums that have pulled away will have a clean, smooth surface to reattach to as the

Dr. Vijay Munagala of Redwood Dental Smiles replaces teeth and restores patient smiles with dental implants. Implants are a permanent restorative option for teeth that are missing or have been extracted.  They look and feel like natural teeth, and are the most permanent and efficient means of replacing lost teeth. An implant is placed over a series of appointments because of the healing time required.  Implants are titanium screws inserted through an incision in the gum. Over a period of 3-6 months, the jaw bone heals around the implant to become a solid, stable base for the new tooth. During this time a patient is fitted with a temporary crown, and a custom crown is created to match their smile perfectly. After the jaw bone and gums have healed appropriately, the custom crown is placed in a second minor procedure.  The doctor may need to expose the head of the implant by removing some gum tissue, and the crown will be screwed to the top of the implant.  When this is complete the tooth

As a general dental office, preventing tooth decay is one of our top concerns at Redwood Dental Smiles in Castro Valley. Regular brushing and flossing is the best defense against tooth decay, but some parts of the teeth, especially the sides and the areas around orthodontic brackets, are particularly vulnerable. That’s why we want our patients to be able to recognize incipient lesions, also known as white spots. When teeth are exposed to acid, there will be a period before they form cavities when molecules are being dissolved and the enamel is weakening. This can happen when the acid is being regurgitated from the stomach, but on the front teeth, it is likelier to be caused by bacteria metabolizing food debris and excreting acid as a waste product. The more sugar is on the teeth, the more bacteria consume and the more acid they excrete. As enamel dissolves, it turns a chalky white that is noticeably different from enamel’s natural color. It only takes about thirty days for a white spot

A smile is the best accessory you can wear, which is why Dr. Vijay Munagala of Redwood Dental Smiles wants to ensure that her patient’s smiles are as bright as their personality. Tooth discoloration is caused by foods, drinks, lifestyle habits such as smoking, and is usually the result of poor dental hygiene. By making a few simple lifestyle changes, you may be able to prevent teeth discoloration. However, change doesn’t happen over-night. At Redwood Dental Smiles the ZOOM! Professional Whitening system can jumpstart the whitening process in the best way possible. ZOOM is a bleaching process used to lighten discoloration of enamel and dentin. The ZOOM in-office whitening procedure uses the ZOOM Advanced Power Chairside Lamp – said to accelerate the bleaching process – to activate the 25 percent hydrogen peroxide whitening. As the hydrogen peroxide is broken down, oxygen enters the enamel and dentin to bleach the stained substances, leaving the structure of the tooth unchanged. If you h

Traumatic dental injuries can occur in children and adults. When a tooth is knocked out due to a fall, or from playing a sport, it’s important to take the proper measures to save the tooth and prevent infection. Mouthguards, also called mouth protectors will help cushion a blow to the face and minimize the risk of broken teeth and injuries to the oral cavity. Dr. Vijay Munagala of Redwood Dental can provide a custom-fitted mouthguard for ultimate comfort. An athlete is more likely to experience a mouth injury than a non-athlete, but accidents do happen. When it comes to protecting your mouth from trauma, a mouthguard is an essential piece of equipment. A custom-made mouthguard can be created for a patient and it’s made for your mouth only. One can be made for the upper teeth, lower teeth, or both. To discuss custom-fitted mouthguards, schedule a consultation with Dr. Vijay Munagala today. If you have questions or concerns regarding mouthguards, please give us a call. To learn about the

Regular dental cleanings aren’t just an important component of oral health. They’re crucial for a patient’s overall wellbeing, particularly if they suffer from a complicating condition such as diabetes. We at Redwood Dental Smiles in Castro Valley want our patients to feel comfortable coming to us for help, but we recognize that dental instruments can be a source of anxiety for some people. That’s why we want our patients to know their names and how they’re used. There are several metal hooks hygienists use along with the handheld mirror for basic cleanings and assessments. Explorers are hooks which are used to test the durability of enamel, the outermost layer of the teeth, and to break apart tartar. We may also use a longer hook called a probe while examining the health of gum pockets and one called a scaler to remove debris and decay from below the gum line. Patients doubtlessly remember at past visits being told to close their lips around a vacuum hose. It is called an evacuator, a

Stores are full of Halloween candy, and the rest of the sugary treats of the holiday season will soon be upon us. So how do you protect your and your children’s teeth from decay without spoiling everyone’s fun? At Redwood Dental Smiles, we have some solutions, but first, we wanted to explain more about how tooth decay works. While consuming highly sugary snacks isn’t good for you, the amount of time teeth are exposed to sugar is the more relevant factor to decay than the sugar content of any particular thing. The riskiest Halloween candies for teeth are hard candies, which are sucked on for a long time, and toffees, which get caught in between teeth. But other risks come from drinks such as apple cider and creamy lattes, which will leave sugary residue on teeth if drunk slowly, and from high-starch vegetables such as winter squash. Brushing after eating sugar is the best way to prevent tooth decay, but this is sometimes unfeasible. Another tactic is to only eat candy with meals, when t

If you’ve ever suffered from tooth decay, you know that fillings give you a second chance to have a healthy, comfortable bite. At Redwood Dental Smiles in Castro Valley, we use materials that are safe for the body and blend in with the patient’s natural teeth. When properly cared for, fillings can last for ten years. But patients should be aware of when something goes wrong and why it matters. Patients are numbed when their decayed enamel is drilled away, but it is normal for them to feel a bit sore for a few days after a filling is placed. However, if a filling seems to be leaking, what is really happening is that it was not contoured correctly and saliva is getting trapped. This means that decay-causing bacteria could also get trapped, so the filling would need to be redone. The filling would also need to be re-contoured if the patient is unable to close their teeth together fully. When a filling is near the end of its expected ten-year lifespan, the bonding holding it in may begin t

Do you know the details of good oral hygiene maintenance? We provide deep cleanings at Redwood Dental Smiles in Castro Valley, but good hygiene will prevent most dental problems. If the details of brushing and flossing get a bit hazy there’s no better time than National Oral Hygiene Month for a brush-up. Toothbrushes should either be electric or have soft bristles. If using a non-electric toothbrush, brush your teeth for two minutes per session, twice a day. People with dentures will need to use specialized toothpaste on them, but ordinary toothpaste should meet the average person’s needs. Don’t forget to brush close to the gum line. Horizontal rotations are a good brushing motion to use on the outward-facing sides of the teeth, but you’ll need to move the toothbrush vertically to reach the inward-facing sides. Floss and Waterpiks are both approved by the American Dental Association, but you should never try to pick your teeth with anything that wasn’t specifically made for that purpos

With all of the environmental factors that stain our teeth on a daily basis, tea, coffee, cigarettes, etc., it’s easy for them to appear a little lackluster. Fortunately, with dental bonding, Dr. Vijay Munagala of Redwood Dental Smiles can revitalize the shade of your tooth (or teeth) and bring your smile back to life. Dental bonding is among one of the easiest and least expensive cosmetic dental procedures that allow you to have the smile that you’ve always dreamed of. Bonding is a simple procedure and takes about 30 minutes to an hour to complete. Once the doctor chooses a shade that matches the one on your tooth, the tooth will be prepared for bonding. This putty-like resin is applied to the teeth and hardened using a special light. If you’re having more than one tooth done, the appointment may be a little longer, but the results will be a brand new beautiful smile. If you have questions or concerns regarding dental bonding, please give us a call. To learn about the services we prov

Cold and flu season is upon us, therefore if you’ve been unlucky enough to catch a bug you may want to be safe and replace your toothbrush. Once you’ve been infected with a particular strain of a virus, germs can hide in toothbrush bristles and lead to reinfection. Dr. Vijay Munagala of Redwood Dental Smiles hopes you stay healthy this season, and here are a couple of ways to prevent your toothbrush from making you sick. We advise that you keep your toothbrush away from others because airborne bacteria can be shared between toothbrushes stored near each other in warm, moist environments like the bathroom. Let’s say you have family members and all of their toothbrushes sit in the same holder. Even if you don’t put their toothbrushes in your mouth, the infected item might contaminate yours. When toothbrushes are stored in the same cup, their bristles can come into contact with one another, spreading germs in the process. To completely sterilize your toothbrush if you don’t want to replac

If you have a dental implant and your gums bleed, that’s a sign there’s something wrong. Peri-implantitis is the inflammation of gum tissue surrounding an implant. We provide high-quality implants at Redwood Dental Smiles in Castro Valley, allowing patients to regain their bite function, the stability of their jaw, and the beauty of their smile. But patients should be aware of the importance of taking care of their new teeth, which is why peri-implantitis is the subject of this week’s blog post. Gingivitis literally means “gum inflammation.” It is usually the immune system’s response to an infection in the pocket surrounding the lower part of a tooth. Gum pockets are a good place for bacteria to evade brushing and flossing. As the bacteria feed, they produce acid, which sticks to the tooth and causes erosion. If the infection is allowed to persist, gingivitis can develop into periodontal disease, which causes the loss of gum and jaw bone tissue. When people first get implants, there is

Do you know about the connection between sleep apnea and teeth grinding? At Redwood Dental Smiles in Castro Valley, we want all of our patients to know how to avoid jaw pain and cracked teeth. This month the American Sleep Apnea Association runs its Sleeptember campaign, and part of raising awareness of sleep apnea includes understanding oral health. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a condition in which a person’s throat tissue disrupts their airflow while lying down. As a result, they are pulled out of deep sleep throughout the night, leaving them fatigued when they wake up. Sometimes, the body attempts to keep the airways open by moving the jaw during sleep, resulting in teeth grinding (also called bruxism). Teeth grinding can lead to misaligned teeth, jaw pain, and in the most severe cases, broken crowns. One of the most important points of the Sleeptember campaign is that OSA is common but severely underdiagnosed, and consequently, undertreated. People can get tested for OSA at a s

We want our patients at Redwood Dental Smiles to feel fully included in their care decisions. Patients tend to have better compliance when they understand their dentist’s reasons for making certain requests of them, which is why we want people to know why they should take seriously their post-operative instructions after undergoing tooth extractions. Dry sockets are an uncommon reaction, but a serious one. After a tooth is extracted, the jaw bone at the end of the empty socket is briefly exposed, but a blood clot usually forms and seals it off. In cases of simple extractions, the socket will close within a few days. However, if a patient is in severe pain for longer than two days after the extraction, they should make an emergency appointment. We can disinfect a dry socket, remoisturize it, and keep a closer eye on the patient while they recover. However, this is usually avoidable if the patient does not dislodge the blood clot by sipping through straws or eating sticky foods. Smoking

Nobody should resign themselves to a tooth ache, and that includes children. We’re a family practice at Redwood Dental Smiles, and we want our patients to know they can count on us to help their children with tooth sensitivity. Children are the age demographic most likely to get cavities or caries. These dental infections are the result of acid-producing bacteria feeding on food debris. They can be prevented with better brushing, but sealants provide additional protection. Conversely, it is possible to brush too hard and damage the gum tissue. Only soft-bristled toothbrushes should be used on teeth, and everybody should understand that bleeding gums are a sign of a problem. Sometimes adult teeth are sensitive during their first few days exposed to air. This problem usually goes away on its own, although we can provide mild painkillers. A more serious problem is if the adult teeth are having difficulty erupting, which may require an extraction. People who engage in nighttime tooth grind

Patients of Redwood Dental Smiles are always asking Dr. Vijay Munagala about the latest cosmetic solutions for their teeth.  Some fixes are recommended just to repair damage or just to whiten, but veneers are the best way to give your smile a total makeover. Veneers are thin ceramic shells that bond directly to the surface of your teeth.  This gives you the opportunity to completely change the appearance of your smile and still look natural.  Patients with cosmetic issues like staining, cracked or chipped teeth, and even crooked teeth and small gaps can achieve a dazzling smile with veneers. We can make this happen in two to three visits!  First, your dentist will discuss the shape and look you want for your new smile.  Then an impression of your teeth is taken in order to custom-fit the final product to the surfaces of your teeth.  The impression is sent to a dental laboratory where your custom veneers will be fabricated, which may take up to two weeks.  On your final visit, the venee

Redwood Dental Smiles is proud to serve the families from our community, and we want them to know it’s just as important for children to have regular dental visits.  A child’s first dental visit should be scheduled when the first baby tooth appears, or around the child’s first birthday.  Baby teeth eventually come out, but their growth and development is important for overall oral health for the child and the development of their adult teeth. Baby teeth should be brushed and cared for like adult teeth, and it’s important to monitor their growth and development.  Missing any tooth for too long can change the development of surrounding teeth and compromise the structure of the jaw bone, but regular checkups can keep a child’s tooth development right on track.  Our dentists are skilled and experienced in administering dental care to children.  If your child has seems nervous about seeing a dentist for the first time, we recommend going through a brushing routine with them at home, and tal

Among the many means by which we can restore teeth at Redwood Dental Smiles, one of the oldest is the dental bridge. This prosthetic is used when there are several teeth in a row that need new crowns or are missing entirely. A single implant supports an artificial crown for just one tooth, but a bridge is several crowns linked together. Typically, the crowns at the end would be supported and the crown in the middle would be suspended between them. The supported crowns may be attached to fixed implants or they may be removable in the form of a partial denture. It is also possible to have the crowns supported by reshaped natural teeth. Because natural teeth tend to have fewer problems, dentists would not usually want to reshape natural crowns to have bridges put over them unless they were already decayed. However, there may be an advantage to having a patient retain the natural roots of their supporting teeth, particularly if their jawbones may not be able to support implants. Modern bri

Patients often come to Redwood Dental Smiles in Castro Valley with questions about the vast number of oral hygiene products available to them. A lot of people are considering whether to buy electric toothbrushes and we want to help our patients understand the benefits and drawbacks. With a manual toothbrush, people should brush for two full minutes twice a day. Studies have shown that electric toothbrushes do not get better results than manual toothbrushes that are being used properly, but most people do not use manual toothbrushes correctly. An electric toothbrush can be set to a timer and is able to brush thousands of times per minute. Some also come with settings to inform the user if they are brushing too hard. Electric toothbrushes are particularly beneficial to people with motor control problems or who have experienced tooth decay in the past. Many modern ones come with phone apps that reward children for improving their brushing or inform users if they are skipping over tooth su

If gingivitis is left untreated, it will advance into a more aggressive form of periodontal disease known as periodontitis. Periodontitis refers to inflammation of the teeth that attacks the bone structure surrounding teeth, which can eventually lead to tooth loss. To treat this form of gum disease, Dr. Vijay Munagala of Redwood Dental Smiles will clean the pockets around the teeth using ARESTIN. ARESTIN has the ability to reduce the severity of periodontal disease. In a clinical study, when used in addition to scaling and root planing, ARESTIN reduced harmful bacteria by nearly 2 times as much as scaling and root planing alone. This is because adding ARESTIN to the mix disrupts the progression of periodontitis by specifically targeting the active infection. ARESTIN is easy for the doctor to use and is 100% safe for the patient. If you have questions or concerns regarding periodontal treatment, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit  www.re