Answering all your burning questions about mouthwash

While mouthwash is not an alternative to regular brushing and flossing, it can help keep your teeth and gums clean and healthy. There are several different types of mouthwashes available, and all of them will help do different things for your smile. The most common types of mouthwashes are:

• Fluoride - fluoride is the most used type of mouthwash available, and is used to strengthen the enamel of the teeth while preventing cavities and tooth decay.

• Antiseptic - an antiseptic mouthwash is used to kill bacteria and germs in the mouth. Most commonly used before and after a dental surgery, antiseptic mouthwashes can also help to fight gum disease, and halitosis (chronic bad breath). Antiseptic mouthwashes can affect your sense of taste and may stain the teeth, so it is recommended that you consult your dentist before using this type of mouthwash.

• Combination - a combination mouthwash is designed to help prevent tooth decay, freshen the breath, and maintain the health of your smile.

• Prescription - for patients with gum disease, or any signs of gum disease, you may need a prescription mouthwash. Prescription mouthwashes, like Peridex of PerioGard, are used to treat gingivitis, and other forms of decay.

There are also many different brands of mouthwash. Some common brands include:

• Scope
• Listerine
• Act
• Crest
• Tom’s of Maine (all-natural)
• Plax (anti-plaque rinse)
• Breath Rx
• Orajel
• Targon (special mouthwash made for smokers)
• Rembrandt (whitening mouthwash)


If you are curious about which kind of mouthwash would work best for you, be sure to ask Dr. Liss at your next appointment. If you have a favorite mouthwash, let us know by posting a comment for others to read!

Great Dentists in the Calgary Community

We at Cory Liss Orthodontics are honoured when dental offices refer their patients to us for orthodontic care. If you're new to Calgary or the surrounding area, and need general dental care, we've included below a list of dental offices that are able to provide both you and your family with excellent General Dental care.

Specialists in Pediatric Dentistry:

Dr. Robert Barsky & Dr. Warren Loeppky
507 Northland Professional Building
4600 Crowchild Trail NW
Calgary, AB T3A 2L6
403-247-3166

Dr. Steve Baylin & Dr. Bradley Krusky
Suite 201
2215 33 Avenue SW
Calglary, AB T2T 1Z9

General Dentists:

Arbour Lake Dental Care
Drs Don, Ian, Christopher Miller and Dr. Michael Lettich
#224, 150 Crowfoot Crescent N.W.
Calgary, AB T3G 3T2
Phone: 403-241-8808
Email: smiles@arbourlakedental.com
Web address: www.arbourlakedental.com

Beacon Hill Dental, Dr. Teerth Dhaliwal
11634 Sarcee Trail NW
Calgary AB T3R 0A1
Phone: 403-295-1182
Email: bhdental@telus.net
Website: www.beaconhilldental.ca

Bowness Dental Centre
Dr. Amin Datu
52-7930 Bowness Road NW
Calgary, AB T3B 0H3

Dr. Daryl Penner and Dr. David Lovick
Website: www.calgarydentist.com

Care Dental
Dr. Sonya Verma
Dr. Rahul Kulshrestha
Northland Professional Center
305 4600 Crowchild Trail NW
Calgary, AB T3A 2L6
Phone: 403-286-2601
Email: info@caredental.ca
Website: www.caredental.ca

Crowfoot Dental – Millennium Smile
Dr. Meghani, Dr. Montakhab
Phone: 403-239-7181
Fax: 403-239-0133
Website: www.crowfootdental.com

Dr. Michelle Denny
Westpointe Dental
430, 1167 Kensington Cres. NW
Calgary, AB T2N 1X7
Phone: 403-270-9577
Website: www.westpointedental.com

Evolution Dental
Dr. Kendra Schick, DMD
Dr. Natasha Laing, B.Sc., DMD
4-400 Crowfoot Cres NW
Calgary, AB T3G 5H6
Phone: 403-208-9965
Fax: 403-208-9975
Email: evolutiondentalclinic@gmail.com
Website: www.evolutiondental.ca

Dr. Murray Knebel
Sierra Studio for Dental Wellness
5462 Signal Hill Centre S.W.
Calgary AB T3H 3P8

Dr. Murray Knechtel
Chinook Prof. Bldg.
408-6455 Macleod trail SW
Calgary, AB T2H 0K9
Phone: 403-252-1404

Dr. Stacey Kreuz
#17 3919 Richmond Rd SW
Calgary, AB T3E4P2
(corner of 37th St SW and Richmond Rd SW)
Phone: 403-242-4303
Email: drkreuz@shaw.ca

Dr. Philip Love, DDS
#125 8220 Centre St NE
Calgary Co-Op Mall (South Side)
Calgary, AB T2K-1J7
Phone: 403-275-6424
Email: love-dds@telus.net

Northland Village Dental Centre
#2003, 5111 Northland Dr NW
Calgary, AB T2L 2J8
Phone: 403-255-6688
Fax: 403-202-8686
Email: careyou@shaw.ca

Dr. David Sawka and Dr. Chris Leong
10 402 Railway Street
Cochrane, AB T4C 2B6
Phone: 403-932-3031
Fax: 403-932-7827
Website: www.drsawka.com

Todd Sheppard Dentistry
406 Chinook Centre Professional Bldg
Calgary, AB T2H 0K9
Phone: 403-252-1444
Website: www.toddsheppard.com

Strathcona Dental Works
Dr. Bryce P. Adamson
330-555 Strathcona Blvd SW
Calgary, AB T3H 2Z9
Phone: 403-242-2000
Fax: 403-686-0990
Website: strathconadental.com

Dr. Wendy Street
Chinook Prof Bldg
408-6455 Macleod Trail SW
Calgary, AB T2H 0K9
Phone: 403-252-1404

Dr. Geoff Van Blaricom
Kensington Dental Care
204, 320 10 Street NW
Calgary, AB T2N 1V8
Phone: 403-270-3600
Fax: 866-784-1569
Email: kensingtondentalcare@nucleus.com

Dr. Chuck Stewart and Dr. Dwight Van Middlesworth
Varsity Family Dental Centre
#107 4616 Valiant Drive NW
Calgary, AB T3A 0X9
Phone: 403-288-7396
Fax: 403-288-8516
Email: smile@vfdc.ca

Dr. Koni Worsley
Avenue 14 Dental Studio
Suite 264 1632-14th Ave NW
Calgary, AB T2N 1M7
Phone: 403-284-1138
Fax: 403-284-0188

Dr. Stuart Yaholnitsky
Westpointe Dental
430, 1167 Kensington Cres. NW
Calgary, AB T2N 1X7
Phone: 403-270-9577
Website: www.westpointedental.com

Softly Brushing Your Way to Clean Teeth

Just as there are so many different types of toothbrushes to choose from, each brush also has a different type of bristle! There are generally three different types of bristles; hard, medium, and soft. We always recommend that our patients, especially children and seniors, use a soft bristled toothbrush.

Using a hard and medium bristled brush can actually harm your teeth and gums by stripping the enamel from the teeth and irritating the gums so that they become red and sore, and can even cause gum recession. If you do use a hard or medium bristled brush as a personal preference, we recommend using an electric toothbrush.

Soft bristles are much gentler on your teeth and gums, and while patients of all ages are recommended to use soft bristled brushes, they are particularly great for children, seniors, patients recovering from a dental procedure, and patients wearing braces.

Soft bristles, and even extra-soft bristles are every bit as effective when it comes to cleaning your teeth; in fact, if you currently use a hard or medium bristled brush, try a soft bristled brush next time you buy a toothbrush and we bet you won’t even notice a difference!

--Cory Liss Orthodontics

National Dental Hygiene Month

Did you know that October is National Dental Hygiene Month? Fall is here, and Halloween is coming soon, but now it is more important than ever to maintain good oral hygiene.

All those sweet, sour and sticky candies may taste great, but these treats can damage your teeth and braces too! Did you know sour candies can be acidic to your teeth, and actually wear down the enamel that protects them? This can cause tooth decay and cavities! After eating these candies, be sure to wash your mouth out with water, drink milk or eat a few slices of cheese. These will help neutralize the acid in your mouth (wait at least one hour before brushing your teeth with toothpaste, as this can actually increase the effects of acid on your teeth)

Besides cavities and tooth decay, many people do not realize that good oral health and hygiene are important to your overall health too! Research is discovering the connection between periodontal disease and other major health concerns, such as heart disease! Therefore, it is important to maintain a good oral hygiene routine: see your dentist every six months, brush and floss daily and use an antibacterial mouthwash.

Make a resolution to improve your oral health for October, the National Dental Hygiene Month!

--Dr. Liss

Invisalign Tips

Many people know that Invisalign is a great solution to braces if you don't want to experience the look and feel of traditional metal braces. What few people know, though, is that just like traditional braces, Invisalign requires proper care to work effectively. Good oral hygiene is highly important, even when you are wearing something in your mouth that you can take out to eat with. It's still likely that your aligners can build up plaque if not treated properly. When wearing your Invialign aligners, ask yourself the following questions:

1.) Am I eating with my aligners on? - These aligners are removable and should be taken out when you eat.
2.) Am I drinking anything other than water with my aligners on? - Though it's not a necessity for you to take out your aligners while you drink, think about how sticky a soda is. If you take out your aligners when drinking a soda, you have a better chance of keeping your aligners clean.
3.) Am I brushing before putting the trays on? - The aligners have both an inside and outside. Keeping the outside clean is easy. Keeping the inside clean is also easy: just make sure you've brushed your teeth before putting the trays on.

These are all very simple steps, and ultimately, they help to keep you building good oral habits.

--Dr. Cory Liss