How Teeth Affect Speech

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Teeth are for more than just chewing. They also play a big part in speech development and confidence.

Young attractive African woman with short haircut talking on cell phone to her friend looking cheerful joyful and happy sitting at the window touching her chin. Human emotions and feelingsWhile talking comes naturally to many of us, we sometimes forget how complex speech actually is. Humans typically learn how to talk by listening and imitating those around them. This process involves a number of physical and neurological structures that work together to form words. These physical structures include mainly the lips, the tongue, the jaw, the vocal cords and the teeth. When one of the elements of successful speech is not functioning properly, people may develop delays or impediments.

Functional

Teeth help us produce all kinds of sounds, including /f/ (“found”), /v/ (“virtue), /s/ (“sew”), /z/ (“zip”), the “ch” in “china,” the g sound in “gym,” and the “sh” sound in “shoe.” Teeth are also partially responsible for the voiceless” sounds like “th” (“thirst). Think about all the words that use these sounds and imagine how missing or misaligned teeth might make speaking more challenging.

People who face these issues can benefit from visiting a dentist and/or orthodontist and in some cases working with a speech therapist.

Aesthetic

A confident and warm smile can brighten someone else’s day and put them at ease. When a person’s teeth are jumbled, discolored, or missing, they may be less likely to offer that smile or speak clearly.

Talking quietly and mumbling are common in those with more “obvious” dental problems. This lack of confidence can be limiting both professionally and socially. Sometimes a teeth whitening treatment at the dentist is all a person needs to give them the courage to speak out loud and proud!

We here at Vacendak Dentistry talk all the time (loudly and proudly might we add) about how dental health impacts all areas of a lifestyle. Let us take care of your teeth and hopefully help you feel more confident about the way you talk. Contact us to schedule an appointment today.