Help! I Have a Lisp with My Dentures

Dentures give you a way to fill in a gap in your smile or replace a full arch of teeth, all without the need for surgery. But because there’s nothing to hold the dentures in your mouth other than their base, learning to live with them usually takes a bit of time.

Fortunately, that adjustment period shouldn’t last too long. It usually takes anywhere from a couple of weeks to a month to get used to dentures. At that point, most issues — like fiddliness when you’re eating or a lisp when you speak — should largely be cleared up. 

That said, you don’t have to sit idly by and just wait for things to improve on their own. 

Dr. Sujay Trivedi and Dr. Michael Westcott have some tips to help you adjust to your dentures and get rid of that lisp faster. And if these suggestions don’t help, visit us at Family Dental Care in West Palm Beach, Florida. In some cases, your dentures might need an adjustment. A better fit can help you speak more clearly. 

Tips to get used to talking with dentures

As with many things, practice makes perfect. 

That makes lisping with your dentures particularly frustrating. Speaking more can help you get rid of the lisp faster, but that change in your speech probably makes you want to hold your tongue if your new lisp makes you feel embarrassed. 

The key here is finding comfortable ways to practice speaking with your dentures. Try the following to see what helps your mouth adjust more quickly:

• Read a book out loud
• Speak in front of the mirror (i.e., take a phone call)
• Sing in the car, shower, or anywhere else you feel comfortable
• Bite down and swallow before you speak to position your dentures properly

Speaking or singing words and phrases with many Ss helps your mouth adjust to making that sound with your dentures. The classic “she sells seashells” is a good option to use here. 

If your dentures feel like they’re moving around as you try these tips, talk with our team. With personalized fit adjustments or a different adhesive, we can ensure your dentures are properly anchored in your mouth. This makes it easier to speak without a lisp or other speech changes. 

If you’re still having a lisp

If it’s been a few weeks with plenty of practice and your speech isn’t improving to the degree you’d like, talk to Dr. Westcott or Dr. Trivedi. That persistent lisp could be a sign that your dentures aren’t fitting correctly.

At our office, we can make adjustments to your dentures to help you feel more comfortable in them. With a perfect fit and continued practice, you’ll regain your natural speech patterns.

Need support through the denture learning curve? We’re here to help. Call our Family Dental Care team at 561-556-1698 today, or use our online booking tool to schedule a visit at your convenience.