To form words, your tongue makes a series of distinct movements against the back of your teeth. So, whether you’re saying hello to your coworkers in the morning or saying “I love you” to your spouse at night, you have your teeth to thank! Naturally, there will be a slight learning curve when you transition to dentures. After all, your mouth needs some time to adjust from the muscle memory it’s had in place for years. Don’t worry – you can minimize the learning curve with these tips!
Tip #1: Do Your Best to Be Patient
Depending on how much practice you put in, it may take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months to fully adjust to speaking with dentures. So, it’s important to be patient and have some grace for yourself to avoid getting discouraged. If you need to, take a break and come back to practicing when you’re ready.
Tip #2: Make Sure Your Dentures Are in Place
Before you begin speaking, it’s essential that you seat your dentures in place. To do so, bite down and swallow beforehand. This will help avoid any slips and remove excess saliva that would’ve otherwise muddled your speech.
Tip #3: Practice Reading Out Loud
As previously mentioned, one of the best things you can do is practice, practice, practice. While you might not have someone available to talk whenever you’d like, you can read a magazine or book out loud. Once you’ve built up some proficiency, you can read aloud in front of a mirror to watch your speaking patterns and see where you need to adjust. Make sure to speak at a normal volume too!
Tip #4: Repeat the More Difficult Words You Come Across
As you read, you’ll likely come across some difficult words. If you do, try repeating them a few times. A great best practice is to count from 60 to 90 since that covers some of the more difficult “s” sounds.
While an adjustment period is completely normal with new dentures, it can still be a discouraging experience at times. The good news is that the above tips can help you speed up the learning curve!
About the Practice
With a highly-trained and experienced dentist leading the way, our team at Webster Lake Dental can help patients struggling with tooth loss with everything from dental bridges to dentures. Since we only use the best materials, you can have peace of mind knowing your new and improved smile will be both lifelike and durable as well. If you have a question about life with dentures or you’d like to schedule an appointment, don’t hesitate to visit our website or call (508) 943-8111.