I love that my family dentist is tech-savvy. It's so easy to book a dentist on his smartphone app if I have a tooth problem or if anyone in my family needs emergency problems (I can choose either my normal dentist or another dentist in his practise depending on availability). He also has some great cameras so that we can see exactly what is going on during treatment. I prefer not to see this, but my kids love to be able to see the dentist using his specialised tools to clean and repair their teeth. This blog has some tips on finding a tech-savvy dentist to help give your family the best possible dental care.
Whether you have partial or full dentures, for the first few days or weeks, you may find that speaking clearly is something of a challenge. Not only do your dentures keep moving, but your gums are sore and you sound odd while speaking, especially when trying to pronounce certain letters like 's'.
Understandably, this can cause you to become frustrated. You can't eat solid foods, food has lost its flavour and it seems like you have to learn how to speak all over again!
Despite all that, this really is just a passing phase. You need time to adjust to your dentures. In time, and with practice, you will be able to eat tougher foods like steak and speak with confidence.
Here are some useful tips to help you adjust to speaking while wearing dentures.
Practice Timing Your Bite and Swallow Technique
Your dentist has likely advised you to "bite and swallow" before speaking. This helps to stabilize your denture and stop it from clicking as you speak. However, timing is also crucial, and at first, due to your lack of confidence while wearing dentures, you may not always be ready to speak.
However, in time, and with vigilance, you can time your bite and swallow so that there is no delay in between greetings or questions and answers. When someone begins speaking to you, remember to breathe and don't allow panic to throw you off your rhythm. If necessary, practice breathing through your nose as you listen so that you are ready to bite and swallow before answering.
Read Newspapers Aloud to Yourself
Newspapers contain a wealth of vocabulary. That's why they are more useful for this method. The wide range of vocabulary will allow you to pinpoint the particular words and sounds that you have the most trouble with when speaking with your dentures.
You can also read aloud to your partner, and ask them to let you know, gently, whenever you mispronounce a word or sound.
Reciting the alphabet will also help you discover which letters you struggle the most with.
In Private, Practice Speaking at Different Speeds
Speed will also be important in the beginning, as you adjust. Certain speeds may cause you more trouble than others. If you discover your ideal speaking speed through constant practice, you will become more confident when speaking with your dentures.
Answer Your Relatives' and Friends' Phones
While the above methods will all help you to gain speaking confidence, you also need to prepare yourself for speaking to other people outside your group of family and friends. Doing so over the phone provides you with this opportunity while at the same time saving you the embarrassment that you might feel outdoors, for example.
Answer the phone for your relatives and friends, and not only will you likely receive a more honest assessment, but you will also be able to work out the extent of your speaking impairment.
Keep practicing, using the above methods, and in a few weeks you will be well on your way to living a more comfortable life with your dentures. Talk to your dentist for more information on adjusting to your new dentures.
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