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The practice of good dental health is something you can set in place with your child on early on. Instilling the habits of good oral hygiene is key to helping ensue the ongoing well being of your child’s teeth.

Here are some tips to help set the foundation for your child’s good dental health, provided by an experienced professional in family dentistry:

• Routine visits to your Indiana dentist

  Somewhere between six months of age and six months from the time first tooth pokes through, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that all infants receive a thorough oral examination by a professional skilled in family dentistry or pediatric dentistry. Thereafter, children should receive a thorough dental examination at least annually. During these exams, your child’s teeth and gums will be checked to ensure they are healthy, and growth is on-par for the child’s age group.

• Brush and floss regularly

  Daily tooth cleaning should begin as soon as your child’s first tooth appears. Simply wipe the teeth with a damp cloth. As your child gets older, switch to a junior toothbrush with a children’s fluoride toothpaste. And remember flossing for your little one too! If you see two teeth that are touching each other, they should be flossed to avoid cavities from forming between them.

• Fluoride is vital!

  Fluoride is a naturally-occurring chemical that is essential to strengthening tooth enamel and helping repair damage in young teeth. Be sure you are using a children’s toothpaste that contains fluoride. Consider drinking water that has fluoride added too! This is an easy way to give your kids an extra boost of fluoride. If you feel your child needs more fluoride, consult with your Indiana dentist. You want to be sure not to provide too much fluoride, as that can result in fluorosis, or spotted teeth. Your family dentistry professional may recommend a fluoride paste be applied according to a scheduled regimen.

• Help your child eat right

  To help ensure good dental health, provide your child with a well-balanced diet of fresh fruits and vegetables – and plenty of water. Reduce sugary food and beverage intake, particularly just before bedtime or naptime, to help ensure a positive oral exam.

These helpful tips are brought to you by Dr. Joseph Majka, an Indiana dentist focusing on family dentistry. For the kind of gentle, caring dental care you have been searching for, contact Dr. Joseph Majka for an appointment today.

Do you floss? If you don’t, no doubt you have heard time and again that you should. And for good reason too!

Your family dentist will be the first to tell you of the many benefits of flossing. To effectively remove food and sugary substances that have been trapped between your teeth and at the gum line, there is simply no better way to ensure your teeth stay clean.

The principles of general dentistry are founded on brushing and flossing regularly. To ensure the ongoing health of your teeth, you should follow a daily regimen of brushing and flossing.

Brushing alone cannot effectively clean between the spaces of your teeth – not like floss can. Flossing can greatly help to reduce the chances for cavities and gum disease. You’ll even notice a fresher, cleaner feeling in your mouth when you floss. Just ask your family dentist if you could benefit from flossing – I’m sure he/she will say you could!

Start with buying a quality un-waxed floss – several are available today. Ask your family dentist for a recommendation.

Then stand in front of your bathroom mirror and follow these helpful tips for effectively flossing your teeth:

·         Wind about 18 inches of floss between your two middle fingers.

·         Start with your middle teeth and work back, working between all your upper and lower teeth.

·         Gently glide the floss between the teeth, down to the gum line. Gently curve the floss around each tooth to clean as much of it as possible.

·         Glide the floss up and down gently between your teeth.

·         When you move from tooth to tooth, use a new section of the floss.

·         Be careful not to push the floss into your gums.

·         Sore or bleeding gums the first few times you floss is normal – so don’t be alarmed. This will go away after a few times of regular flossing. If you have any doubts, just ask your family dentist.

·         If you have difficulty navigating the floss between your teeth or in the far reaches of your mouth, you may consider a flossing device. Ask your family dentist for their recommendation.

For better oral hygiene, try flossing. Ask your family dentist for their advice on proper brushing and flossing - and don’t put it off another day.

Dr. Joseph Majka is a family dentist practicing general dentistry in Northwest Indiana. If you are looking for professional, gentle dental care, look no further than Valparaiso dentist Dr. Joseph Majka. Contact us today for an appointment.

At some point in your life, you will likely change dentists. It may be because you have relocated, your dentist retires, or you just need a change and a new face to look at while you lay back in that dental exam chair. Whatever the reason, finding a family dentist can be a trying experience.

Just in your local community, there are so many to pick from. How would you know which dentist is the right one for you and your family? How do you know the family dentist you find is dependable?

The key to finding a quality dentist in Indiana – a dentist you can truly depend upon – is to ask around. Ask your family, your friends, your neighbors. The experiences of others will tell a lot about a dentist, and what these people have experienced themselves. Pay attention to these comments and make mental notes – keep track of what you hear. If you have specific needs, such as cosmetic dentistry or dentures, or you have specific scheduling needs, be sure to ask others about this too.

You’ll want to also review the dentist’s web site, as well as their marketing materials. Do they appear professional and well organized? Visit their office. Are they warm and inviting? Are the surroundings neat and clean and well organized?

In just a matter of minutes, you can have a pretty good feel for a dentist – and a better determination if they are a good fit for you.

Once a new dentist in Indiana is found, how do you know if they will be dependable or not? Chances are if you have listened to others and have done your homework, you will likely find that dependability is right there too.

Always remember, before you decide to go with any one dentist, ask around and do some checking. It will be time well spent. This will enable you to be more assured of finding a dentist in Indiana that will meet your needs. For a quality family dentist in Indiana – and for that kind of gentle caring dentistry you have been searching for – call Dr. Joseph Majka. Dr. Majka and his team of dental professionals will be happy to make their office your new dental home!

If you are looking for a new family dentist in Indiana, you might be feeling some anxiety over choosing the right one. In fact, with so many options available today, you might find few things easier than actually locating a dentist in Indiana. However, the key is finding the right family dentist to meet your families’ needs.

Whether you have moved to a new area and need a new family dentist close by, or you simply want a change from your current Indiana dentist, identifying the key attributes for the ideal family dentist will help the search go easier.

Try these five key factors when searching for a new family dentist in Indiana or elsewhere:

• Office LocationWhere the dentist office is located should be paramount to your evaluation criteria. Either close to home or close to work will help ensure you keep your appointments — and help make them seem less daunting and inconvenient. After all, you need just one more excuse to cancel your next dentist appointment, right?
• Accepted InsuranceProbably more important than the location is checking on which insurance your prospective family dentist will accept. Make sure the dentist you are considering accepts your insurance or you could be looking at much larger fees. Further, ask about co-pay requirements, and billing too. Will the prospective family dentist require a co-pay up front? Or will they bill you for your portion later? Will they file insurance for you, or do you have to do that yourself? All good questions to ask.
• Office EnvironmentBeyond location, you’ll want to make sure the office of the prospective family dentist you are considering is clean, well lit and well organized. Be sure the staff is professional, friendly and courteous. Ask for a tour before you commit – make sure you see the environment and talk to the staff up front.
• Office HoursMake sure the prospective family dentist you are considering has office hours that meet the needs of you and your family. If you are like most of today’s families, you are super busy – so you need a dentist with flexible office hours that meet your unique needs.
• Ask AroundBy all means, always ask your friends, family, neighbors and co-workers who they see, and if they have heard anything about the prospective family dentist you are considering. Word of mouth can be a powerful – or dangerous – influence mechanism, particularly when choosing a dentist.

Searching for a quality family dentist in the Northwest Indiana area? Dr. Joseph Majka and his team of dedicated dental professionals in Valparaiso will provide the gentle dental care you are looking for. Contact Dr. Majka today to learn more about his practice.

Why is it so important to see your dentist regularly? Why do you really need to see your dentist every six months?

The reason is likely to sound like something your mother told you several times – “because it just is”! So listen to your mother – and your dentist!

Whether your dentist practices general dentistry or family dentistry, be sure to visit according to a predefined schedule of oral examinations. If you carry dental insurance, for most insurance companies, this will be twice per year. This schedule is ideal to keep a watchful eye on your teeth, gums and mouth. But this certainly does not discount the need for taking care of your teeth yourself!

Because you put so much into your mouth each and every day, you need to be certain you are performing a solid regimen of routine dental care. You probably have already been told this, but this means brushing and flossing at least twice a day – once when you get up in the morning and once before you go to bed at night (if not more often during the day). This will ensure that any food particles, as well as sugary substances from sweets and beverages or other residue, are cleaned away.

It is doubly important to both brush and floss because food and sugary substances left behind don’t always remain on just the surfaces of your teeth. They get trapped between teeth, behind teeth and at the gum line. With the double-action attack of both brushing and flossing, particularly when you do it at the recommended schedule of twice per day, you will be sure to wipe away as much of this leftover residue as possible – on both the front-facing and rear-facing areas of your teeth, as well as between teeth and at the gum line. This practice, combined with routine visits to your dentist in Valparaiso, Indiana, will help ensure good dental health.

You see, food and sugary substances from prior meals, drinks or snack left to settle on your teeth, between your teeth or on your gums, will do just that – settle in! They will take foothold and cause havoc in your mouth! If left alone, these little critters can grow and cause even larger problems including (but not limited to) cavities, abscesses, gum sensitivity (including bleeding gums), gum disease and more. So don’t risk it!

Whether your dentist practices general dentistry or family dentistry, be sure you visit twice per year, as your dental insurance provides for. And in between, be sure to practice a healthy routine of brushing and flossing at least twice a day.

If you are new to the area, or are looking for a new dentist in Valparaiso, Indiana, chose the gentle dentistry practiced by Dr. Joseph Majka and his team of dental professionals. Skilled in both general dentistry and family dentistry, Dr. Majka and his team will provide the kind of professional, caring dental care you have been searching for. Contact Dr. Majka today for an appointment to ensure you keep your teeth and your mouth healthy for a lifetime!

Do you know if you have good dental health? If you have been to your dentist lately, you probably do. Your dentist is the very best person to keep watch over your teeth through routine checkups, examinations and cleanings. After all, these routine appointments are a key part of today’s general and family dentistry.

But at these appointments, has your dentist ever mentioned proper tooth brushing? Do you know if you are brushing your teeth properly? An integral component of good dental health is sound teeth brushing. Even if you think you brush perfectly well, these helpful tips will come in handy as a refresher. And remember - always consult your Indiana dentist for all concerns related to dental health.

1. Grab your toothpaste tube and squeeze some on your brush. Look at that tube of toothpaste. It should clearly say it contains fluoride and show the seal of the American Dental Association (ADA). Make sue it does. And your toothbrush - it should have firm bristles. For most people, firm bristles are a must to adequately clean teeth, not soft bristles
2. Begin brushing your teeth using short, back-and-forth brushing motions to clean the outside, inside and tops of your teeth. Follow with up and down motions on the exterior and interior surfaces of the teeth.
3. Brush along the gum line, but be gentle to avoid damaging your gums. Gum disease typically starts at the gum line, so take extra care to brush well in this area.
4. Use extra care to brush in the back of your mouth - those hard to reach teeth such as your molars. Bacteria can hide back there and cause a lot of damage if left unchecked.
5. The final brushing step should be to brush your tongue. Doing so will remove all that nasty bacteria that accumulates on your tongue that typically causes bad breath - plus your mouth will feel so much fresher.
6. Tooth brushing is now complete! Spit out your toothpaste and rinse your mouth with water.
7. This final step could be performed first or last - different people prefer it differently. Even if you are an expert brusher, flossing is so very important to good dental health. It removes food particles and bacteria from between your teeth. And the fact is, most adult cavities occur between the teeth. The best thing to do for good dental health is to brush your teeth at least twice a day (after you wake up and before you go to bed). When flossing, insert the floss between the teeth and glide it gently between them, softly rubbing each side of the tooth.

With good teeth brushing and flossing techniques, you can be more assured of good dental health. Always consult your family dentistry practitioner to ensure optimum dental health. One of the best in our state is Indiana dentist Dr. Joseph Majka. Offering a full range of general and family dentistry, Dr. Majka will provide the kind of gentle, professional dental care you have been searching for. Contact Dr. Majka for an appointment today.

Before you select your next family dentist, be sure you do your homework. Finding a family dentist should not be done by opening the phone book and picking a name. Finding a family dentist or a dentist practicing in general dentistry is best done by thoroughly looking into the dentist and his/her practice.

There are plenty of general dentistry practitioners available today. Make sure you find the family dentist that best meets your specific needs — and the needs of your family members.

To aid you in your search for a new family dentist, use this handy list of research points:

• Is the family dentist you are considering close to your home or work location? This will make keeping your appointments much easier.
• Ask how long the dentist has been a practicing family dentist.
• Ask about the training the dentist has received, including clinical experience in performing the types of procedures and dental work you are seeking. If you are interested in cosmetic dentistry, be sure to ask if the family dentist you are pursuing is trained in cosmetic dentistry.
• What sorts of societies or organizations are the dentist involved in to keep current with modern dental procedures?
• If the family dentist you are pursuing is not familiar with or does not perform the procedure you are seeking, ask about his/her referral process to other dentists/specialists.
• Visit the office of the family dentist you are considering. Is it clean and well organized?
• Are the hours of the dental office you are considering conducive to your lifestyle? Are after hours appointments available? How are emergencies handled?
• Are the staff at the dentist office you are considering friendly and helpful – ready to answer any questions you may have without being offended by your asking?
• Does the family dentist you are considering accept your form of dental insurance? What are his/her insurance procedures regarding filing and co-payments?
• What sorts of pain remediation procedures does the family dentist you are considering follow? Do these work for you and your family?
• Ask your family or friends for dentist recommendations.

There are plenty of dentists available today in the area of general dentistry and family dentistry. You don’t have to accept a family dentist that does not meet all of your needs – nor do you have to just randomly select a name out of the phone book. Shop around and find the family dentist that is right for you.

Looking for a Valparaiso dentist? Searching for an experienced Valparaiso dentist who sincerely cares about each of his clients? Dr. Joseph Majka and his team of dedicated professionals will provide the kind of gentle, professional, caring dentistry you’ve been searching for. For the best dental care you’ve ever experienced, contact Dr. Joseph Majka for an appointment today.

Modern general dentistry is a strong proponent for flossing regularly. You probably hear it every time you visit  your family dentist. Have you been flossing? How often do you floss? Are you flossing correctly?

The fact is, flossing is one of the single most important tools in your arsenal on the war against plaque. In case you weren’t aware, plaque is that soft, sticky residue that accumulates on your teeth from eating food, drinking sugary beverages, and the bacteria that results from both. If plaque accumulates and is not removed in a timely manner, it can lead to cavities, gum disease and loss of teeth.

Flossing is a great supplement to brushing your teeth regularly because it gets all the gunk that gets stuck between your teeth that your toothbrush often misses. In fact, most in the general dentistry profession agree that flossing is an unrivaled tool in the battle for good oral hygiene. In fact, many dentists feel that flossing is as important, if not more important, than brushing!

Did you know that flossing can actually benefit your overall general health too? It’s true! Dangerous bacteria can build up between your teeth in as little as just eight hours after eating. Bacteria builds upon bacteria, and if left to accumulate, over time, can cause you to become mildly ill from swallowing the harmful bacteria.

The fact is, those in the family dentistry profession know that brushing alone cannot prevent gum disease, gingivitis and cavities. Your toothbrush cannot reach all the places that dental floss can. It takes the powerful combination of brushing and flossing to eliminate all the bad stuff that accumulates in your mouth. By brushing and flossing, you can enjoy a cleaner, fresher feeling mouth and ensure good ongoing dental health.

So do what the experts in family dentistry recommend: pick up your toothbrush and brush at least twice daily. And with each brushing, make sure you floss between each tooth to make sure you remove all those dangerous remnant food particles and bacteria collecting in the spots your brush cannot reach.

For trusted advice on proper dental care, call an experienced, caring dentist in Valparaiso, Indiana – Dr. Joseph Majka. Dr. Majka and his team of dedicated family dentistry professionals will not only provide the kind of dependable advice you need, they’ll provide the kind of dental care you’ve been searching for. For truly experienced dental care, contact Dr. Joseph Majka for an appointment today.