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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.

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.

So often in school, advertising, and likely from your family dentist too, you will hear that it is so important to brush your teeth at least twice daily. If you’re like most people, you probably hear it and it just fades into background noise. Or, maybe you are an inherent skeptic and wonder if this is truly essential dental care.

However, if you are not doing this, I must tell you it is absolutely essential that you begin today. It is not a myth! It is strongly recommended dental care. And that’s why so many family dentist providers – including this Chicago area dentist, yours truly –  tell all of their clients to brush twice or three times daily – or as often as you can. We are not going overboard on this, believe me!

Why does good dental care mean you brush at least twice daily?

Saliva is always inside your mouth. It is essential to clearing away food debris that may collect on your teeth following a snack or a meal. This form of dental care we like to think of as “automatic tooth brushing” works great in the morning and daytime hours, but what about when you retire for the evening?

When we go to sleep, saliva secretion naturally drops. If you’ve ever wake in the middle of the night to an overly dry mouth or throat, now you know why!

Nevertheless, when the major source of your automatic tooth brushing (saliva) is depleted, debris begins to accumulate on tooth surfaces. Debris on your teeth compounds upon debris, quickly and easily. This provides a ready food source for bacteria to produce acids from that can dissolve the tooth structure – which can form cavities.

But, if you brush your teeth before going to bed at night, you can eliminate much of this potentially damaging debris and bacteria. And, since most toothpaste contain fluoride to help prevent cavities, when you brush, you’re actually adding a layer of protection upon your teeth.

Brushing again in the morning not only will freshen your “morning breath”, it will start your day off right by helping to prevent cavities and tartar all day long.

So you see – it’s not just the nervous family dentist telling you to brush more than once a day. It actually is essential!

Leverage the experience of a trusted Chicago area dentist. Dr. Joseph Majka and his team of dental professionals can help keep your teeth healthy and happy with quality dental care. For truly experienced dental care, contact Dr. Joseph Majka for an appointment today.

Practicing good dental health is not something you just wake up and decide to do one day. It is a learned skill that is instilled early in your childhood. Chances are – if you have good dental health now and practice a regimen of good dental hygiene - it is likely because you learned this from an influential person when you were growing up.

Did you know that your first set of teeth are actually almost completely formed at birth? It’s true! They are there – they are just hiding under the gums waiting to pop through. It is this first set of teeth that is so very important as a baby.

Why are first teeth so important? Because after they come in, they enable you to chew food, smile and speak well. Care for this first set of teeth is every bit as important as for permanent teeth. This is why the practice of ensuring dental health should begin early on.

Baby teeth become the placeholder for the child’s first set of permanent teeth. Their placement enables the child’s permanent teeth to come in straight and healthy.

Family dentistry begins at childhood and continues through adulthood. It is never too early to begin working for good dental health. In fact, when the first teeth push through, start thinking about dental care and planning for the child’s first visit to the family dentist.

Here are some suggestions to help ensure a positive plan for ensuring good dental health in your child from an early age.

• From the time the first new tooth pokes through, begin cleaning it every day. When baby’s first teeth poke through, simply rubbing them gently with a clean wet washcloth will provide sufficient cleaning. As the teeth get bigger, begin using a children’s toothbrush to gently brush them — with water only.
• We are often asked about toothpaste for kids. Should toothpaste be used on kids? The answer is NOT ON ALL AGES OF KIDS! Children under the age of two should not use toothpaste. A simple brushing of the teeth with a children’s toothbrush soaked in water will be sufficient to ensure good dental health.
• Never let your baby go to sleep with a bottle containing milk or juice. This liquid can settle on the child’s teeth and cause cavities, known as “baby bottle tooth decay”. While this damage may be relatively invisible to baby’s teeth, it is the potential unseen damage to the teeth coming in under the gum line just behind them that is really at risk.
• Encourage children from an early age to eat low-sugar healthy snacks such as fruits, vegetables and cheeses. Avoid sticky, chewy candy.
• When your child is old enough, teach them the proper way to brush their teeth. As we have said, the foundation for good dental health begins early on. This includes regular brushing and care in what is put into the child’s mouth.
• We are often asked at what age children should begin seeing the dentist. Most experts in family dentistry agree that children should begin seeing their dentist at approximately one year of age. Following the initial visit, be sure to work with your dentist to schedule routine visits.

Family dentistry is not a mystery. With children or with adults, the key is to begin the practice of good dental hygiene early on. This regimen will instill a solid routine of working toward good dental health that begins in your child’s early years and serves them well all the way through adulthood.

Not sure who you should see for family dentistry? Looking for an Indiana dentist that offers quality dental care for all ages? Call the caring staff of Dr. Joseph Majka and his team of dental professionals. Conveniently located in Northwest Indiana, this Indiana dentist is who you need to ensure good dental health, for your children to yourself. For the dental care you have been searching for, contact Dr. Majka for an appointment today.

It’s ok – we know it might be true. We hope it’s not – but you won’t hurt our feelings if it is true – and we know lots of people feel this way unfortunately.

It is a common feeling to not be so excited to go to the family dentist. But why is that? Have you ever really thought about why it is that you and so many others dislike going to the dentist?

It’s probably common with most practices in the medical field – a necessity that doesn’t really elicit happy thoughts or good feelings. One bad experience – or what is perceived as a bad experience – and you probably never think of your family dentist the same way again! Get sick on  roller coaster, you probably won’t be too excited about riding one again either. This is just human nature.

But general dentistry truly is a necessity if you want to keep your teeth happy and healthy. And happy and healthy teeth make you happy and healthy too.

We want you to feel that your family dentist is your partner in maintaining positive dental health. Dr. Joseph Majka and his team of dental professionals can help keep your teeth happy and healthy longer. Just ask us how!

Let’s take a look at a few of the top reasons why people dislike going to their family dentist:

• The Pain. With today’s modern general dentistry procedures and technology, pain should be able to minimized during a dental procedure. We aren’t living in the dark ages, so your visit to the family dentist should not be an overly painful experience. Communication is key! If you’re experiencing pain during a dental visit, tell your dentist! Chances are, there is something he can do to help control the pain and make this visit – and future visits – more palatable.
• The Stress. Do you get all worked up before you even visit the family dentist? When sitting in the waiting room at your family dentist and awaiting your appointment, do you feel the tension mounting? It doesn’t have to be this way! Relax – take some deep breaths. Try some relaxation techniques. Are you a religious person? Prayer never hurts! Take a book and read to get your mind off of your impending appointment. Bring your iPod and listen to your favorite music – or perhaps a relaxation selection. Perhaps a puzzle book to busy your mind. With these options, you’ll soon find anxiety is just a thing of the past.

• The Expense. Not much in this world is free anymore – and that is true too with a visit to the family dentist. However, quality dental care is essential for the health of your teeth. Research and communication are key to controlling your out-of-pocket costs! Do you have dental insurance? If not, you might want to consider options that might be available to you. If you do have insurance, make sure your dentist accepts it before scheduling an appointment – just ask – we’ll tell you! Not happy with your co-pay for a dental procedure? Ask questions! Ask your dentist’s billing department to double-check everything to ensure you were billed properly. And ask your insurance company about coverage and co-pay for your procedure. Financing may also be available. Many dentists will offer financing for major dental procedures. Just ask us – we can help you get the dental care you need and the help you need to pay for it.
• Bad Conversation. If carrying on a ten-page conversation with someone’s hand in your mouth – or listening to seemingly endless stories of the children of your dental hygienist – is not your thing, then do something about it! If the exam room has a television in it, find a program that interests you – and make it known to your hygienist and dentist that you like to watch it. Or, bring your iPod and listen with your headphones on – this will let the dental team  know you are serious about your solitude. General dentistry need not be an unpleasant experience.

Most importantly – find a family dentist that you are comfortable with. The dentist, his staff, the environment, and the office location are all important in making this evaluation.

Looking for a Valparaiso dentist to provide the quality dental care you have been seeking? A gentle caring family dentist for you and your entire household? Trust Valparaiso dentist Dr. Joseph Majka and his team of dental professionals.

Conveniently located in Northwest Indiana, this Valparaiso dentist is the dental professional you need to ensure ongoing dental health. For the dental care you have been searching for, contact Dr. Majka for an appointment today.

If you are searching for a family dentist, you will certainly find a plentitude of choices today. Looking for a dentist in Indiana can be a daunting task. You are probably a busy person, so how can you make the task of finding a quality family dentist easier?

Whether you are new to the area or just looking for a new dentist, these tips can help make your search for a family dentist a little less daunting…

• Ask your family, friends, neighbors and coworkers for any dentist recommendations they might have
• Ask your family doctor if he/she has a recommendation for a family dentist
• Stop into your neighborhood pharmacy and ask your pharmacist
• Check the references and recommendations of your prospective dentist – perhaps on their web site, in a brochure or in a handout sheet you might obtain in their office
• Check the web site of the American Dental Association (ADA) for a list of local dental organizations and associations you could contact or research for a referral. Visit www.ada.org for additional information.

Before you select any family dentist, you should call or visit the one you feel would best fit your needs and the needs of your family. This decision is an important one, and establishing a good, long-term relationship with your family dentist can only benefit the ongoing health of your family’s teeth.

Consider asking these additional questions when visiting with or talking to a potential family dentist…

• Is the dentist located in a convenient location to your home or work, making visits less cumbersome and more likely that you will keep scheduled appointments?
• What are the dentist’s office hours? Do they accommodate your busy schedule?
• What is the education and training of the family dentist you are considering? You might consider checking on or verifying this education, or checking with the local dental director at your state department of public health.
• What is your prospective dentist’s approach to preventative dental health?
• For more major dental work, what sort of anesthesia is the dentist and his staff certified and capable of administering to make the procedure more pleasant?
• When you visit the office of your prospective family dentist, does it appear to be neat, clean and orderly? Do the staff wear protective gloves and masks when performing dental procedures?
• Are emergency dental hours available? If so, how is that handled?
• Ask how dentist payments are handled – particularly with insurance providers. Confirm that your dental insurance will be accepted.
• If you have to cancel your appointment, or happen to miss an appointment,  how does your prospective family dentist handle cancellations, missed appointments and the like – and are fees involved?
• Interact with the dentist’s staff. Do they seem friendly, professional and willing to talk and answer your questions?
• Do you have special financial needs? Ask the dentist if they will be able to accommodate your needs.
• Do you have special health concerns – or disabilities? Ask the dentist if they will be able to accommodate your needs.

With this handy list in your possession you will be better suited to find the dentist in Indiana that best meets your specific needs. A good family dentist can be your partner in maintaining good dental health. Find a dentist in Indiana you are comfortable with and fulfills the answers to the questions above as they apply to you and your family.

Looking for an experienced, gentle, caring dentist in Indiana. Contact Dr. Joseph Majka and his team of dental professionals. Dr. Majka is a Northwest Indiana dentist – located in Valparaiso, Indiana – just forty minutes from Chicago. For the dental care you have been searching for – and deserve – contact Dr. Majka for an appointment today.