When you first get dentures, they can cause problems with your speech. Words with the “s,” “f,” “th,” and “v” sounds are especially troublesome, often causing slurred speech. This can lead to embarrassment or self-confidence issues that may keep you from socializing.
Don’t let this get you down. Dentures take time to get used to. You’ll most likely be practicing for a month or so before you see great improvement. Continue reading to find four exercises you can use to get better at speaking in dentures.
1. Learn the Bite and Swallow Technique
Dentures are typically held in place by suction against your gums. This can be interrupted if there’s an overabundance of saliva in your mouth, or if your dentures are slightly out of place when you begin speaking.
To combat this, practice closing your teeth together and swallowing to set your dentures before you start a sentence. This will set your dentures properly and reduce the amount of saliva in your mouth.
2. Read Aloud for Practice
Dentures can feel like they’re crowding your mouth at first, creating some dissonance between your tongue’s muscle memory and the reality of your prosthetic.
The best way to learn the new positioning of your teeth and tongue is to read aloud. This will keep your mind focused on the words while your tongue slowly adjusts to the way your dentures have changed the structure of your mouth.
3. Speak Slower until You’re Confident
Talking too fast before you get the feel of your dentures can lead to a clicking sound as the teeth tap together. To fix this problem, try speaking slower for the first week or two.
Your natural teeth have nerves in them that can track their positioning when you speak. This tells your brain that your teeth are about to come together and signals them to stop. Dentures don’t have these nerves, so you’ll have to rely on muscle memory which is gained over time.
4. Count on the Count
Another effective method for retraining your mouth is counting high numbers. Start at 60 and work your way up to 100. This will put your speech to the test as the majority of these numbers contain hard-to-pronounce sounds and multiple consonants.
Speaking in dentures is a process and a skill. Everyone learns at different rates, so even if you haven’t mastered speaking in your dentures after a month, don’t panic. Continue working toward your goal and be diligent in your practice. These exercises will have you speaking fluently again in no time.
About the Practice
Dr. Praveena Muddana and Dr. Sumit Chanana make a great team at Sweet Smiles Family Dentistry. Both are talented and hardworking professionals who take your oral health seriously. Using the latest dental technology and techniques, Dr. Muddana and Dr. Chanana guide you through a treatment plan that is tailored to your needs with care and attention. To schedule a denture consultation, call (414) 808-2003 in Milwaukie or visit the website to see other locations and services.