At office of Dr. Robert Walley, we know image is everything. May happens to be National Teen Self-Esteem Month, and during this time, parents are encouraged to act as positive role models, help stop negative self-images, and improve confidence and security among teenagers.

We know one of the great ways to improve your confidence is to improve your smile. And that begins with a visit to our office. Has your child visited Dr. Robert M. Walley in the past six months for his or her regular check-up? We invite you to give us a call to book your appointment!

See you soon!

Visiting our office regularly will not only help keep your teeth and mouth healthy, but will also help keep the rest of your body healthy. The fact is, every hour of every day in the U.S., someone dies of oral cancer, which is the sixth-most common diagnosed form of the disease. The five-year survival rate is only 50 percent, and oral cancer is one of the few cancers whose survival rate has not improved. Since April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month, we would like to take this opportunity to remind all of our patients about the importance of maintaining good oral hygiene.

We are trained to diagnose, treat, and prevent oral health problems. Please let us now if you have any questions about your oral health during your next appointment. Take care of your teeth!

Cavities occur as a result of the destruction of tooth structure, called tooth decay. Tooth decay can affect both the enamel (the outer coating of the tooth) and the dentin (the inner layer of the tooth). While it is very important to brush and floss every day to remove food particles and plaque, regular cleanings and checkups at Dr. Walley's office is the best way to help avoid cavities.

Dr. Walley can discover cavities during your regular dental checkup. The tooth surface feels soft when probed with a dental instrument. X-rays can also show cavities before they become visible to the eye. In advanced stages of tooth decay, you might experience a toothache, especially after consuming sweet, hot, or cold foods or drinks. Other signs of tooth decay are visible pits or holes in the teeth.

Don’t wait for a toothache!

Remember, the longer you wait to treat a cavity, the more extensive your treatment will be. A small cavity can be treated with a filling, while a large cavity that weakens the structure of your tooth may require a crown. If the decay is so bad that it causes the nerve or pulp of the tooth to die, a root canal or tooth removal may be your only options. If you think you may have a cavity, contact our San Francisco office and schedule an appointment. We’ll make sure you leave with a healthy, pain-free smile!

Thanks for the question! Yes! In fact, it's even more important that patients receiving orthodontic treatment visit our office regularly. When you're wearing braces, food may be caught in places that your toothbrush normally can't reach. This causes bacteria to build up and can lead to cavities, gingivitis and even gum disease. Believe it or not, an estimated 80 percent of American adults currently have some form of gum disease. Studies have shown a correlation between gum disease and heart disease, underscoring the importance of good oral health care. Our staff will work closely with your orthodontist to make sure that your teeth stay clean and healthy while you're undergoing orthodontic treatment.

If it has been more than six months since your last visit to our San Francisco office, please give us a call!

You may remember our post from last week, when we discussed February being National Dental Health Month. But did you know February also marks American Heart Month at the office of Dr. Walley?

It’s a great time of the year to take notice of the health of your heart – cardiovascular disease remains American’s number one killer, claiming more lives than the rest of major causes of death, according to the American Heart Association. Studies have shown a correlation between gum disease and heart disease, underscoring the importance of good oral health care.

Visiting our San Francisco office regularly can help prevent gum disease or at least catch it in its early stages, and a healthy mouth begins with a visit to Dr. Walley's office. In observance of Heart Month, it’s also important to know your numbers: blood pressure (less than 120/80), cholesterol (less than 200) and BMI (less than 25). If you have any questions about heart health, or about your ongoing treatment at our office, please don’t hesitate to give us a call.

Or, you may ask us on Facebook!

At Dr. Walley's office, we know the rumors going around that once you swallow a piece of chewing gum it will stake a claim and take up residency in your stomach for at least seven years! We really hate to take all the fun out of the mystery, but the truth is that chewing gum, when swallowed, will enter the stomach and move through the digestive system just like any other piece of food and leave the body long before seven years! So, if you ever have accidentally swallowed a piece of gum, there is no need to worry!

This being said, gum does not have any dietary benefits, so while it’s not harmful to swallow, you still want to avoid swallowing it. If you are a gum-chewer, make sure you chew sugarless gum, because gum with sugar can lead to cavities. Sugarless gum still has the same amount of flavor, but with less cavity causing ingredients. You see, when the bacterium in your mouth breaks down sugar, what’s left behind is acid. This acid eats away at the enamel coating of your teeth, causing holes that we call cavities. Cavities can lead to other long term mouth problems if they are not treated in time, so it is best to try and avoid overexposing your teeth to too many harmful substances!

Give us a call at our convenient San Francisco office if you have any questions!

Happy (sugar-free) gum chewing from Dr. Walley and team!

Dr. Robert Walley and our team want to know: Are you brushing your teeth twice a day? If the answer is yes, we think that’s fantastic! But, don’t forget that it’s also important to visit our Fresno office every six months, in addition to brushing your teeth a couple times a day. Regular dental checkups at our San Francisco office are important for maintaining good oral health. Dr. Walley can:

• Check for problems that might not be seen or felt

• Show you how to properly floss

During an oral exam we will usually check the health of your mouth, teeth, gums, cheeks and tongue. Checkups will also include a thorough teeth cleaning and polishing. If you have not been to our office in the last six months, it’s time for you to schedule an appointment!

Happy New Year!

At the office of Dr. Robert M. Walley, we value the relationships we’ve developed with our patients in San Francisco, Oakland, Daly City and nearby communities over the years. Even if you visit our office on a regular basis, did you know you can always connect with us on Facebook and other social networks?

By “Liking” us on Facebook, you will receive regular updates, announcements and exclusive special offers from our office – all through your news feed!

Have a safe and happy New Year, to all our patients, friends, family, and all our dental and medical colleagues - see you in 2011 everyone!

As 2010 comes to a close, Dr. Walley and our staff strive to continue writing about important topics related to oral health and dentistry in general.

To help us continue blogging through 2011, however, we'd like your opinion: What would you like us to focus on our blog in the coming weeks and months? Perhaps there’s something you’ve wanted to ask Dr. Walley or our staff for a while and just haven't found the right opportunity? Give us your ideas by posting here or on our Facebook page!

We hope you have a great rest of the weekend! See you soon!

Great question! Fall is upon us, and with it comes the dreaded cold and flu season. After recovering from your cold, Dr. Walley will tell you one of the most important steps you can take to avoid becoming reinfected is replacing your toothbrush!

Germs can linger on the bristles, and you risk prolonging your sickness by continuing to use the same toothbrush. Be smart - keep a spare, just in case! To protect your toothbrush from bacteria all year long, consider the following tips:

• Wash your hands before and after brushing
• Allow the brush to air dry after each use, harmful bacteria dies after being exposed to oxygen
• Store the toothbrush in an upright position to allow water to drain and dry faster
• Replace your toothbrush every 3-4 months. Worn bristles are less effective in properly cleaning your teeth, and can actually be damaging to teeth if used too long!

We hope these tips help! Feel free to call us if you have any questions or ask us on Facebook. We hope you had a great Thanksgiving weekend!

Serving San Francisco, Oakland, and Daly City, Dr. Robert M. Walley has been providing the highest quality general and cosmetic dental care in a professional and family-oriented environment for more than 40 years.

From your very first visit to Robert M. Walley DDS, Dr. Walley and our experienced staff strive to provide superior dental treatment in a pleasant, friendly atmosphere. We thought we’d ask you, our wonderful patients: Have you been especially impressed by Walley's work? Did our team go out of their way to make your day? Are you in love with your smile?

Whether you’ve just come in for one appointment or your family has been visiting our office for years, we’d love to hear your feedback. Or, you can tell us by posting here or on our Facebook page!

Thank you,
Dr. Walley & team

Folks with big smiles may actually live longer than those who don’t, according to a March 2010 study at Michigan’s Wayne State University. We have known for quite some time that positive emotion has been linked to both physical and mental health, but researchers at the university did something quite interesting: they looked at photos of 230 ball-players who began their careers in baseball prior to 1950 and studied their smile intensity (ranging from big smile, no smile or partial smile). The players' smile ratings were compared with data from deaths that occurred from 2006 through 2009. The researchers then took into account other factors that impact life longevity, including body mass index, career length and even college attendance.

The results? Researchers found that players who weren't smiling in the photos lived to be an average age of 72.9 years. Players with partial smiles lived to be 75. Those with big smiles, however, lived on average to be 79.9 years old.

The take-away from the new study? Smile now, smile often and you might just live longer! Have you been perfecting your smile by visiting our team on a regular basis? If not, give us a call!