Dental Consultation with Dr. Shervin M. Louie

Dental Consultation Southern California

Dr. Louie is a Los Angeles, California-based emergency Los Angeles dentist. Dr. Louie provides his patients with valuable dental health care tips such as daily brushing and flossing at home as well as regular dental visits every six months. We chatted with Dr. Louie about the importance of maintaining an at-home oral health care regimen and the importance of a healthy smile.

Question: What is your dental background and experience?

Dr. Louie: I am a leading and experienced Los Angeles dentist, offering dental care in all phases of dentistry – serving patients in Hollywood, California since 1996. I also received an award for Outstanding Service to the USC School of Dentistry for the past 10 years and am best known for my work in cosmetic and implant reconstruction.

Why should people take their oral health more seriously?

Your mouth is so much more than just a pretty smile – it is also a gateway to your overall health. By keeping your mouth clean and healthy you may be keeping yourself healthier for longer.

What do you try to teach your patients about dental hygiene?

Taking the time to brush and floss your teeth is important, and I want to make sure that my patients understand the impact that daily care has on their oral and overall health. Besides the benefit of an improved appearance, maintaining proper dental health care can also affect a person’s health. Inflammation can happen when bacteria and debris, such as bits of food, enter the blood vessels around the teeth. When inflammation occurs, it is the body’s response to bacteria invaders.

What if inflammation reoccurs?

If inflammation reoccurs over and over again, chronic, long-term, inflammation can occur. Chronic inflammation has been linked to chronic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and Alzheimer’s disease. It is not clear if the inflammation causes those diseases or if it is a marker of some other cause. Either way, it is not a good sign when chronic inflammation occurs.

Anything else you’d like to add about the importance of dental hygiene?

Periodontal disease, which is caused by extensive bacterial build-up along the gums and teeth, affects 80 percent of Americans, and is the number one cause of tooth loss in adults. When performed consistently and correctly, brushing and flossing can reduce the bacteria or plaque build-up that causes periodontal disease. Brushing, flossing, and visiting your dentist is so easy to do, it is not expensive, and everyone should be doing it.