A custom sports mouth guard offers players a perfect fit that lets them focus on playing sports, rather than having an uncomfortable piece of plastic in their mouth.

As COVID-19 restrictions loosen around the country and summer approaches, kids and adults are returning to America’s favorite pastimes: football, basketball, baseball, and soccer. With more Americans playing the sports they love, it is important that people continue to keep safety top of mind.

Sports account for around 36% of all unintentional injuries among children and teenagers. Injuries to teeth cannot heal in the way that a broken arm might – for this reason, it is critical that their dental health is taken seriously.

What are the benefits of using a custom sports mouthguard, and what makes them preferable to other options on the market? We explore the question in greater detail below.

What Options Are Available for a Sports Mouthguard?

A sports mouthguard is designed to protected a player’s teeth, gums, lips, and jaw. It can also redistribute shock when they are hit hard, preventing or reducing the effects of a concussion.

Provided that it remains in place, any sports mouthguard is preferable to nothing. Most sports teams require them. However, cheaper models can restrict the ability to speak or keep a mouthguard in place, making them less desirable for players.

There are three different types of mouthguards, ranging in effectiveness and expense.

• Stock Mouthguard: A stock mouthguard can be bought at little expense, but is the least effective model on the market. As it isn’t designed for your mouth specifically, stock mouthguards make it difficult to speak and can fall out easily.
• Boil and Bite Mouthguard: A boil and bite mouthguard is roughly shaped to the mouth after it is set in boiling water and fitted to the mouth of a player. It falls in between a stock mouthguard and a custom nightguard – while it is essentially shaped to fit a mouth, it isn’t perfect, and if instructions aren’t carefully followed, can result in discomfort and reduced protection.
• Custom Sports Mouthguard: A custom sports mouthguard provides the best results with minimal disruption to speech. As it is perfectly formed to the shape of your mouth, it causes minimal discomfort and maximum efficacy. However, most people think that the only option for getting a custom sports mouthguard is visiting a dentist, resulting in hefty fees.

Benefits of a Custom Sports Mouthguard:

Safety

When it comes to a mouthguard, one thing matters most: the safety of a player. Mouthguards need to be functional and in-place if a player is hit, shoved, or bumped – otherwise they put themselves at risk of injury.

A custom sports mouthguard won’t slip and slide in the mouth. It remains fixed throughout a game, and keeps players prepared for the unexpected.

Comfort

Team sports requires solid communication among each member of a team. A mouthguard that prohibits speaking not only makes you a less effective player, but makes you more likely to take out your mouthguard to speak with others and plan a strategy. If a player forgets to put their mouthguard back in before their next play, serious injury may follow.

A comfortable custom sports mouthguard doesn’t require you to remove it to communicate with others. It stays in place so players can keep their head in the game.

Durability

Low-quality mouthguards require more frequent replacements – while in the short term it may be less expensive, it can run up costs over time. Needless to say, the expense of a sports injury can eclipse the costs of even the most expensive sports mouthguard.

A custom sports mouthguard is made out of better materials. It lasts throughout the season with less wear and tear than other options.

Dental Lab Direct Offers Easy and Affordable Custom Sports Mouthguards

In terms of quality, the choice is obvious: custom mouthguards offer the best protection and highest degree of comfort. They also tend to be the most expensive. Thankfully, options exist to mitigate cost.

At Dental Lab Direct, we offer at-home fitting for custom sports mouthguards – no visit to the dentist is needed! Simply take an at-home impression of your teeth, send it to our labs, and within two to three weeks, you will have a custom mouthguard perfectly fitted for your teeth.

Looking to take your sports career to the next level of comfort and safety? Contact us today to learn more, or purchase a professional sports mouthguard now.

Can an anti-snoring mouthpiece assist with sleep apnea?

Public health officials have noticed an alarming trend across the United States: the rise of sleep apnea. Over 26% of Americans between the ages of 30 and 70 are projected to have sleep apnea, and this number seems only to be growing.

But how big of a deal is sleep apnea? For many of those suffering, symptoms present as loud snoring. This might not appear to be a big deal. Additionally, those with sleep apnea might experience morning headaches, daytime sleepiness, difficulty paying attention, and irritability.

While a partner who has difficulty sleeping due to snoring is the primary issue that drives people to seek help, there are more dire complications that come along with sleep apnea. An anti-snoring mouthpiece can help prevent apnea and snoring.

What is Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea occurs when the muscles in the back of your throat relax. As your airway narrows, the level of oxygen in your blood is reduced. People with sleep apnea tend to briefly wake up when their brain registers that they are not breathing, but this is usually so short that people don’t remember it when they wake up.

This occurs roughly 5 to 30 times every hour. As a result, people with sleep apnea are unable to reach restful periods of sleep, making them less attentive throughout the day. Using devices to ensure your body is getting enough oxygen can mitigate some of these symptoms

What Causes Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea is most often caused by a variety of lifestyle choices. These can include:

• Obesity
• Smoking
• Alcohol use
• Being male
• Family history
• Older age

Treatment for sleep apnea generally focuses on changing daily habits. Losing weight and abstaining from cigarettes and alcohol are the most common solutions.

The complications that come with sleep apnea can be serious. Heart problems, type 2 diabetes, liver problems, and complications with surgery can often follow suit.

CPAP or an Anti-Snoring Mouthpiece?

Some of the side effects of sleep apnea can be alleviated by the use of anti-snoring devices, allowing you to breathe easier at night. While some of these devices are more effective than others, it ultimately boils down to doctor recommendations and personal preference.

Sleep apnea most commonly occurs when the back of the throat relaxes and the airway closes. Devices are designed around opening up this passageway.

The most commonly known device for sleep apnea is known as a CPAP machine. This machine provides a constant flow of oxygen into your nose and mouth that help keep your airways open and keep you breathing throughout the night. With constant use, the symptoms of sleep apnea will go away – however, as soon as people stop using it, the symptoms return.

Not everyone is a fan of the CPAP machine. Many find it uncomfortable or claustrophobic, and it can cause nasal congestion, dry mouth, and the feeling of being bloated with air.

Thankfully, other options exist, such as anti-snoring mouthpieces. Unlike a CPAP machine, an anti-snoring mouthpiece doesn’t require a machine to be powered – it is a purely analog device. Also called an anti-snoring mouthguard, these work by pushing the lower jaw forward, opening the airway and allowing you to sleep through the night without interruptions.

A CPAP machine can be costly, with some ranging into the thousands of dollars. Anti-snoring mouthpieces are generally customized to fit your mouth, meaning that with a visit to the dentist, prices can often be costly. Thankfully, for those interested in anti-snoring mouthguards, a cheaper option is available.

Dental Lab Direct Offers At-Home Anti-Snoring Mouthpiece Custom Fitting

Comfort is one of the biggest issues facing those who are looking for relief from the symptoms of sleep apnea. For an anti-snoring mouthpiece to function best, it must be customized to the shape of your mouth. This can be done at home with Dental Lab Direct’s impression kit in as little as ten minutes.

Simply order a kit from our team, send them back to us, and in as little as 2-3 weeks, a fully customized anti-snoring mouthguard will arrive at your door. Without going directly to a dentist, expensive additional costs can be waived.

Sleep apnea doesn’t have to define your life. Contact us today to learn more about our services, or order an anti-snoring mouthpiece now.

Nesbit partial dentures have become one of the more popular denture options for patients needing to replace one or two teeth. Because they are more comfortable than alternative options that use metal clasps, and are able to more naturally blend in with wearer’s gums with their translucent membrane, it’s no surprise that Nesbit partials are one of the top cost-effective long-term replacements chosen by patients. To get the most out of a Nesbit flexible partial, though, patient’s need to properly care for their dental replacement.

New wearers may not be as familiar with proper cleaning and maintenance techniques as experienced wearers. In many ways, caring for Nesbit partial dentures can be similar to caring for natural teeth, but that are a number of pertinent differences and directions that patients should keep in mind — not only so that their Nesbit dentures stay in the best possible condition, but so that they’re not inadvertently damaged.

Proper Cleaning of Nesbit Partial Dentures

Nesbit flexible partial dentures will need to be cleaned immediately once they are no longer being worn. It’s a good idea to set out a towel or insert a sink stopper when cleaning a Nesbit partial denture, as they tend to be much smaller than other dental devices, and run the risk of being more easily lost while being handled.

Rinse the Nesbit partial in warm water, but not too hot. Then, clean the Nesbit partial denture using one of several types of cleaners:

• Denture cleaner – these are cleaners specifically designed to clean dentures, and are readily available over the counter. A dentist can recommend a specific cleaner, but any cleaner with the American Dental Seal of Acceptance should suffice.

• Mild hand soap or dishwashing liquid – the term “mild” is key here: do not use a soap with added beads, salts, or other abrasive additives, and try to avoid additional add-ins as much as possible (lotions, etc.). Dishwashing liquid is also acceptable, but other household cleaners will be too harsh, and can break down the Nesbit denture.

Important Things to Avoid While Cleaning

One cleaner in particular to avoid, surprisingly enough, is toothpaste. Toothpaste generally has more abrasive cleaning substances included to help remove plaque and build-up on the hard enamel of natural teeth. When applied to a Nesbit partial denture, though, these abrasives can damage the denture, scratching or marring the surface of the appliance.

The cleaners should be applied using a brush to help remove debris and get a deeper clean. Like cleaners, there are specific brushes designed for cleaning dentures, with bristles shaped to specifically fit the contours of dentures. However, soft-bristled toothbrushes are also acceptable for cleaning Nesbit partial flexible dentures.

Avoid any brushes with bristles that are too hard. Much like cleaners with abrasive materials, harder bristles are more likely to cause scratches to the denture’s surface, or potential damage to the flexible membrane.

Additional Maintenance Tips

A key aspect to proper denture health is moisture. If the denture is allowed to dry out too much, it can eventually lose its shape, or may become damaged or cracked from the dryness. Moistening the brush before cleaning the denture will both make the cleaning process easier, and help keep the denture moist while it’s being scrubbed. If a Nesbit partial is being stored immediately after being worn, be sure to fully dry it off before storing it in the plastic container received with the Nesbit partial denture. This helps avoid mildew growth, which can cause serious health risks.  

It’s equally important to keep the Nesbit partial denture submerged in liquid overnight while sleeping. Water is an acceptable choice, so long as it is not flavored or carbonated. There are also denture-specific solutions or cleaning tablets available over the counter, as well, which will help clean and properly moisten the denture throughout the night. Before using one, make sure to consult with a dentist. Additionally, always thoroughly rinse the denture with warm water before re-inserting it, no matter how long it has been removed. Rinsing with mouthwash once the denture has been reinserted can help provide an extra fresh feeling, as well.

Dental Lab Direct: Your Partner for Nesbit Partial Dentures

Overall, properly caring for Nesbit partial dentures is easy, low-effort, and manageable. With some planning, and light scheduling the beginning, wearers and patients will get into the habit of properly cleaning and maintaining their Nesbit partials with ease, until it eventually becomes second nature. If you’re looking for a low-maintenance, cost-effective dental replacement for one or two teeth, order a Nesbit partial flexible denture through Dental Lab Direct. Flexible, comfortable, and non-allergenic, the life-like appearance of the Nesbit partial will inspire confidence with each smile.

Visit Dental Lab Direct for more details on the different dental appliances available, or contact a representative for more information today!

Partial dentures are a small investment that can save you money – thousands of dollars in the long-term – thanks to the reduced strain on the rest of your teeth and your jawbone. This comes as a surprise to many.

Many might consider a gap in one’s teeth to be nothing more than an aesthetic impairment. How much damage can a missing tooth really cause?

As it turns out, the cost of not taking care of your dental health can greatly outweigh the expense of purchasing a partial denture now. Finding a partner that is able to offer you immediate and affordable options can offer immediate results and save you from paying costly future bills.

How Do Missing Teeth Affect Overall Dental Health?

A missing tooth can affect your dental health in unexpected ways. The damage may not be immediately obvious, but over time has drastic consequences.

In the short-term, a missing tooth changes the way that you eat food. You’re likely to favor one side of your jaw over the other. With any new behavior, it eventually becomes habitual – over time, you won’t even notice how you’ve changed the way you eat. The problem goes ignored.

Favoring one side of your mouth while chewing will wear down your other teeth more rapidly. In time, this will result in a greater likelihood of chips, cracks, and cavities. With the possibility of other teeth being damaged, more teeth can be lost. Teeth in your mouth may shift to account for the missing space, leading to a misaligned smile.

The issues don’t stop there. Once a tooth has been lost, the jawbone will start to degrade where your tooth once was. Unlike teeth which are covered in enamel and are relatively resilient, a jawbone is not protected and cannot heal. This will change your facial structure, making your face appear uneven.

A hidden tooth can be concealed when you don’t smile, but an uneven jaw cannot be hidden. Can Nesbit partial dentures help?

How Buying Partial Dentures Save Money Over Time

Once a tooth has been lost, there is no way to reverse the damage that naturally occurs from a tooth gap. However, the process can be slowed down substantially when you buy partial dentures, so that the side-effects are virtually unnoticeable.

How is this the case?

With partial dentures, the gap between teeth is closed. Visually, your smile will look identical to what it was before. For those concerned with appearances, this is often worth it in itself. It gives a boost to your confidence as well as your mental health.

The benefits don’t stop there. Partial dentures serve an important practical purpose – they work just like any other tooth, and will allow you to chew on both sides of your mouth. Keeping a partial denture in throughout the day keeps your teeth from shifting and your smile even. Over time, this means less damage to the rest of your teeth, and less damage to your jawbone.

The Best Partial Dentures Don’t Have to Put a Gap in your Bank Account

When you invest in partial dentures, your dental bill will be considerably less expensive over time. Like most medical issues, the longer you wait on a problem, the worse it is likely to get. Solving an issue in the short term leads to a better prognosis and better results.

One of the biggest issues that people face with dentures is the pricing. Visiting a dentist for dentures can be expensive thanks to the surcharges necessary to keep their practices open. This can be prohibitive for those looking to fix their teeth who are also on a tight budget.

Thankfully, this process can be done from the comfort of your own home. Dental Lab Direct offers affordable, mail order partial dentures that are functionally identical to those that you can get from an in-person location. A dental impression kit is sent to your house, along with simple instructions. Once sent back, within two to three weeks you will have a custom partial denture fitted perfectly to your teeth.

A missing tooth doesn’t mean you have to miss out on life. Contact us today to learn more about our services.

Is it wise to buy partial dentures online, or is it best to find a dentist to take care of this? They say a smile is worth a thousand words. Not only is it critical for our appearance, but it’s impossible to fake – it’s a psychological fact that smiling makes you appear more approachable and likeable.

For people with missing teeth, a smile can seem like something you need to hide. Partial dentures can serve as an easy fix for this, but visiting a dentist to fix this may seem like an expensive undertaking. The cost of partial dentures can run into the thousands of dollars. People with dental phobias may put off these visits even longer, preventing them from getting the most out of their smile.

Why put it off any longer when you can buy partial dentures online? Without having to visit a dentist’s office, you can avoid the overhead of having to visit a dentist and get partial dentures for significantly less money. It’s quick, easy, and affordable.

Why Does Buying Partial Dentures Online Cost Less Money?

Dentists have to pay a lot of money to keep their practices open – while visiting a dentist ensures that you are getting partial dentures that fit the shape of your mouth, the price tag can be exorbitant.

Because of prohibitive costs, many have sought alternatives like partial dentures you can purchase at a pharmacy. While these are certainly less expensive, they are not molded to your mouth. Pharmacy partial dentures do not last long, nor do they fit neatly in your mouth. They can only work as a temporary solution.

Online partial denture retailers sell the exact dental appliances that you would get from visiting a dentist, minus the surcharges. You will get the exact same fit for a fraction of the price, and won’t have to worry about the unnecessary challenges that arise from over-the-counter dentures.

The Dangers of Ill-Fitting Dentures

Pricing keeps people away from purchasing dentures that perfect fit their mouth. While poorly fitting dentures can resolve the appearance of a missing tooth, they can often create problems of their own.

• Sore Spots – When dentures don’t fit properly in your mouth, they can damage your gums from constant shifting in your jaw. This can lead to irritation and inflammation, and even the formation of blisters in your mouth.
• Eating and Speaking – Partial dentures don’t just affect the way that you look – they can resolve lisps that occur from missing teeth. They can also help make eating easier. When partial dentures fit improperly, these tasks become more complicated.
• Jawbone Atrophy – When dentures fit improperly, the jawbone can be damaged over the course of time. Because the jaw doesn’t regrow tissue, this damage can be permanent. Dentures that are maintained and fit well do not have these problems.

For these reasons, it is important that the dentures that you purchase fit your mouth. Failing to do so can have long-lasting and irreversible consequences.

Buy Partial Dentures Online from Reputable Sources

Buying partial dentures at an affordable price does not mean you have to make sacrifices on quality. The number one thing to look for from an online partial denture provider is making sure that they fit to your teeth.

This is best done with an impression kit. Once a mold has been taken of your mouth, providers are able to replicate and create a partial denture that fits with your teeth. Each partial denture is customized specifically for you, so there’s no reason to worry about long-term damage.

At Dental Lab Direct, we make this process simple and easy. Two impression kits are included with each package, so that you can pick the right fit for your mouth. Detailed instructions are provided to walk you through each step of the process, and can be completed in a matter of minutes.

Once the most has been taken, all you have to do is send the impressions back. Within 2 to 3 weeks, partial dentures will be sent back to you, perfectly molded to your mouth.

We’re here to make buying partial dentures online a simple and painless process, as well as being an affordable option for those who are afraid of the astronomical costs of visiting a dentist. Contact us today for more information regarding our services, or any questions you may have about the process.

For many during the last year, waking up with a headache and jaw pain has become a routine occurrence. According to dental experts, and corroborated by a study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine by researchers at Tel Aviv University, the likely culprit is a rise in tooth grinding, or bruxism, caused by stress and anxiety. And while it is difficult to definitively draw a line between the two — the study, conducted in Israel and Poland, does draw this conclusion, but additional research is necessary — many are concluding that the root cause in this uptick of nighttime tooth grinding is none other than the COVID-19 pandemic.

It’s no surprise that the last year spent dealing with the ramifications of COVID-19 would coincide with an increase in stress and anxiety. Between intermittent periods of lockdown, decreased social interaction, increases in unemployment, and the general feelings of fear created by COVID itself, an abundance of stress and anxiety manifesting in physical outlets such as nighttime teeth grinding and jaw clenching would be expected. Incidentally, the same issues with the pandemic have made it more likely for people to avoid going to the dentist. However, brushing off the effects of nighttime grinding is ill advised, as the act can have serious health consequences.

Why Night Grinding Should Be Taken Seriously

Outside of the headaches and jaw pain already mentioned, nighttime teeth grinding can wear away tooth enamel prematurely — and once tooth enamel is gone, it’s gone for good. Without enough enamel, teeth become more sensitive and brittle, prone to pain during eating and drinking, with an increased chance to chip, crack, or become infected. Teeth grinding in the night also directly leads to an increased chance of cracking a tooth or crown, which is not only an exceptionally painful issue to wake up to, but also an expensive issue to fix.

Besides stress and anxiety, nighttime teeth grinding and jaw clenching can point to a number of other underlying factors, as well. Gastroesophageal reflux issues, sleep apnea, and depression can all lead to grinding teeth, as can regularly taking certain brands of antidepressants. Overall, teeth grinding is rarely a siloed issue, and an additional cause is more often than not the true culprit.

How to Address Nighttime Teeth Grinding

If the tell-tale signs of nighttime teeth grinding are present, the next immediate step is to consult with a dental professional. A dentist can confirm that the issue is definitively teeth grinding, and help patients find additional tools to protect their teeth while sorting out the underlying issues.

One helpful tool for many teeth grinders, particularly for those grinding through the night, is an oral appliance such as a mouth guard. While it may be tempting to grab the first, cheapest over-the-counter mouthguard available, upgrading to a custom-molded mouthguard will be worth the investment. Generic mouthguards can be ill-fitting, and made of poorer-quality materials that break down at alarming rates. Because they have more limited sizing, generic mouthguards can also be odd or uncomfortable to wear, making it more difficult to sleep, and ultimately, a self-defeating device.

Custom mouthguards are crafted to fit an individual’s unique mouth shape and size, from a material that works and feels best to them, with longevity and durability in mind. Custom mouthguards won’t last forever, and it’s still suggested they be replaced every couple months or so to remain hygienic, but a well-made custom-fitted mouthguard can last anywhere from three to five years depending on the material and upkeep.

As with most items, cost is always a factor in determining which option is the best route for an individual to take. Custom mouthguards are available through dentist’s offices, but this route can be pricey and out of budget. Instead, consider a custom nightguard from Dental Lab Direct. Able to conveniently be ordered right from home, Dental Lab Direct supplies an impression kit free via mail so customers can simply create and mail-in their custom impression without needing to go through a dentist’s office or schedule an appointment. Once received, Dental Lab Direct’s state of the art lab can fabricate the unique mouthguard in three weeks, to be shipped out to customer’s directly.

Address the dental stress from COVID head-on, and order a protective, custom mouthguard from Dental Lab Direct. With a unique, personalized contour and comfortable material, customers are able to use their nightguard to reclaim their sleep schedules, and help banish unwanted stress, all while protecting their smile.

Visit Dental Lab Direct’s website for more details on the different mouthguard types available, or contact a representative for more information today!

It’s easy to take things for granted until they’re gone – your teeth high among the list! While tooth enamel may be the hardest material in your body (even harder than bone!) grinding your teeth in the night, or sleep bruxism, can wear this down. Additionally, it can cause headaches, jaw and facial pain, and even affect your temporomandibular joints (TMJs). Once damage has been done to your teeth, it is almost impossible to repair the damage – for this reason, they should be protected at all costs.

Doctors don’t know what it is exactly that causes grinding teeth, but most understand that when bruxism is severe, getting a night guard is an easy way to prevent lasting damage. But what is the best night guard for you?

Soft, hard, hybrid – there are plenty of models out there, but what one is right for you? In this blog post, we explore the three common types of night guards to help you determine for yourself which is the right fit.

The Three Main Types of Night Guards

When treating bruxism, it may be tempting to simply purchase the cheapest night guard that you find. But remember, there’s more to night guards than just cost.

People who use night guards tend to use them every single night, not just as an occasional remedy to jaw pain. You need to consider comfort, durability, and the severity of your bruxism when selecting a night guard.

There are three primary night guards on the market for bruxism. Those are:

Soft Night Guard

If your teeth grinding is mild, a soft night guard may be the right fit for you. These night guards are designed with comfort first – their soft material is easy to bite on, and will provide immediate relief. However, their pliability also makes them wear out easily, and they tend to last no longer than a year at most.

Hard Night Guard

For severe cases of bruxism, hard night guards are a must-have. Their material makes them very durable, and can last up to five years before needing replacement. While it may be more comfortable than grinding your teeth, hard night guards are also somewhat uncomfortable

Hybrid Night Guard

A hybrid night guard, or a dual-laminate night guard, combines features from both soft and hard night guards to create an optimal experience while maintaining durability. The interior, tooth-facing portion of the nightguard is soft, while the exterior is hard to prevent wear and tear. Though they might not last quite as long as a hard night guard, they are significantly more comfortable to wear in the mouth, and can last up to three years.

Over the Counter, or Custom-Fit?

Any local pharmacy should have night guards available for purchase over the counter. But are these the right option for you?

Sure, these models tend to be much cheaper in the short term, but they also tend to be made of poorer-quality materials and can fall out of your mouth as they are not molded around your teeth. For more severe cases of bruxism, these models can wear out in as little as a month. They also tend to be bulkier, and can sit uncomfortably, making sleep more difficult for those who aren’t used to night guards.

Custom-fit night guards are designed with durability and longevity in mind. While it is advised that you change out your night guard every couple of months to keep them hygienic, the easiest way to determine whether you need a new night guard is when you begin to see cracks, tears, warping, or simply when it no longer fits your mouth correctly.

Which Night Guard is Right for Me?

While there are plenty of night guards on the market, the best place to start when considering what kind of night guard to get is to consider the severity of your bruxism. If you are only grinding your teeth lightly, a soft model might be the right approach for you, but extreme tooth-grinders may want to consider a harder model. The hybrid model is a good option for either case – while severe bruxism may shorten their lifespan, they incorporate the best of both worlds.

If cost is on your mind, you don’t need to book a dentist appointment to get a night guard customized for your mouth. Dental Lab Direct provides an easy, at-home solution that cuts out the middle man and delivers night guards directly to you. Request an impression, take a model of your mouth at home, send in the results, and within two to three weeks a night guard will arrive on your doorstep.

Contact us today to learn more about our services!

There is an eternal bond between oral and overall health. Good oral health can enhance mental and physical health. Poor oral health can increase mental issues and mental conditions can cause oral health issues. There can be a vicious cycle with consistent pain and inflammation in the mouth leading to further depression or poor self-esteem.

At Dental Lab Direct, we aim to offer awareness, and cost-effective treatment for health conditions every day, especially oral health. Regularly brushing with fluoride toothpaste combined with reduced sugar intake is the ideal way to a healthy mouth and enables one to speak, eat, and socialize without pain, embarrassment, or discomfort.

But, poor diet and irregular routines of people experiencing severe depression or substance abuse can result in them missing the warning signs of cavities forming and so lead to developing further infections or even losing a tooth.

Dental Anxiety

One of the most common mental health issues that directly affect oral health is dental anxiety. We can describe this as a fear of visiting the dentist, even if it’s for a simple check-up. Such mental issues have adverse effects on the individual’s physical appearance, self-image, and self-esteem. Patients with severe mental difficulties are 2.7 times more likely to have lost all their teeth than the general population. Similarly, people with mental difficulties have higher statistical rates of tooth decay and missing teeth which affect self-image and physical appearance.

When teeth and gums are unattractive, people become reluctant to smile. Smiling is a socially accepted way to show friendliness and confidence. When you fail to smile, people around get the impression that you are unfriendly or do not have any mood to interact. This turning away affects self-confidence and makes you feel that others do not like you. In reality, others are just picking up cues from you.     

Physical Difficulties

Since our mouth is a primary entryway into the body, poor oral health can have drastic consequences on the entire body. It is vital to practice good oral hygiene and to see the dentist regularly in order to prevent serious difficulties. Here are some health problems that can pop up.

1. Dementia

Poor oral hygiene can affect the brain. Substances that are released from gums inflamed by infection can kill brain cells and lead to memory loss. Dementia can be an outcome of gingivitis when the bacteria in the mouth spreads to the nerve channels or enters the bloodstream.

2. Cancer

Poor oral hygiene habits like smoking or using other tobacco products can cause oral or throat cancer, but other types of cancer have also been linked to gum diseases. The risk for pancreatic cancer, kidney cancer, or blood cancer is much higher for people who have poor oral hygiene habits.

3. Diabetes

Gum diseases can lead to worse symptoms like high blood sugar levels. It is crucial for diabetics to take good care of their oral health to prevent complications with their disease. Since gum diseases can lead to higher-than-normal blood sugar levels, a person with poor oral hygiene is at an increased risk of getting diabetes.

4. Kidney Disease

Kidney disease is a serious health issue that affects the heart, kidney, bones, and blood pressure. People with gum diseases have weaker immune systems and are more likely to get infections. Many people who suffer from poor oral health also suffer from kidney diseases. Kidney diseases can be fatal if it leads to kidney failure or cardiovascular difficulty.

5. Respiratory Infections

The respiratory area can suffer as an outcome of poor oral hygiene. Bacteria in the mouth from infected teeth and inflamed gums can be breathed into the lungs or travel there through the bloodstream. Once there, the bacteria can lead to respiratory infections, acute bronchitis, and even pneumonia.

The ideal way to prevent serious physical and mental health issues caused by bad oral health is to practice good oral hygiene. Healthy teeth are clean and free of pain caused by cavities or bacteria. Oral health is an indicator of overall health.

Yet even though damage to teeth and gums can be irreversible, it doesn’t mean that you need to stop smiling. There are plenty of viable options for imperfect teeth, like affordable partial dentures or clip-on dental veneers. While these cannot replace good oral hygiene, they can help improve your confidence without breaking the bank.

Visit us at Dental Lab Direct to explore affordable dental appliances that can help you maintain your oral health and in turn, improve your mental and physical health as well!

If you are looking out to invest in a great flexible partial denture, Nesbit brings you a great option when you have only 1 tooth to replace. The Valplast Nesbit or the Unilateral Partial is the best option if you want a cost-effective long-term solution for a missing tooth.

We at Dental Lab Direct understand the various problems one faces while wearing dentures. They sometimes are feared for being uncomfortable and this is precisely why we recommend that you invest in Partial Dentures. These Partial Dentures are easy to use and a great way to fix your dental problems. They are extremely small and comfortable and barely noticeable.

You will not regret buying them, but before we tell you the price and the product specifications, here are a list of advantages of using Partial Dentures:

1. They improve the appearance and exude self-confidence. With great teeth will come great confidence. We have observed that many patients with dental problems have a hard time speaking and socializing as they are afraid of others mocking them. These dentures will help you with that.

2. They help in speech as certain sounds like V and F are made only when the bottom lip contacts the edges of the central upper incisors. Thus, improving the speech and helping you make certain sounds easily.

3. They enable better chewing by restoring your ability to speak properly without problems that come in without dentures. Without partial dentures and teeth deformities or problems, we at Direct Dental Lab have observed how people find it extremely hard to chew. After dentures, you will realize that chewing has become extremely easy.

4. They prevent teeth from moving and the consequences of missing teeth. Now many times when your teeth over-erupt, they can grow and touch the other gum. At this point, it becomes extremely important that neighboring teeth shift too. However, many spaces are left which creates chances of food sticking into them. Partial dentures will help you with that. 

5. Enable protection of other teeth and reduce the chances of future teeth loss. These dentures make sure that you do not lose any other teeth then you already have and also protect your teeth from further damage. They reduce the likelihood of problems with other teeth by taking pressure off them. In fact, wearing them will also reduce the risk of facial changes that may occur due to dental problems as they will help support your muscles, cheeks, and lips.

The costs of a Partial Denture can vary, depending on the materials used and how many teeth your dentures will be replacing. But generally, they are very affordable. You can expect extra costs from periodic adjustments, or if you need to pay to have a partial denture repaired. We have detailed some things that you ought to know about the product before you buy it:

1. They come with a DLD storage case.

2. They are non-allergic and metal-free.

3. They are flexible and durable and will not crack if dropped.

4. They are lightweight and comfortable.

5. They are a single tooth replacement for the front and back tooth.

The non-allergic flexible base resin is an ideal material for the Nesbit, offering the perfect degree of flexibility and stability for a single tooth replacement. During the first month with a partial denture, try cutting up your food into small bites. This will help you become comfortable eating with your denture. As you become more confident, you can begin adding diverse foods into your diet. Depending on where you require a partial denture, you may still have difficulty in eating particularly hard,

sticky, or chewy foods. However, most of our patients at Dental Lab, have few difficulties with their partials during mealtime.

So if you’re ready to make your purchase, head to our Nesbit Flexible Partial Denture page and place your order today!