One of the biggest things to get used to while learning to live with your new dentures in La Crête is how to speak naturally and confidently. Because dentures change the shape of the interior of your mouth, they affect how you form several sounds. The sounds made by the letters “S” and “F” will be among the most difficult to make — for a while.
There are two especially important things to keep in mind, and that you’ll have to take on faith until you finish the process of getting used to your dentures. First, the discomfort you’re feeling is temporary; it will pass. Second, dentures not only change the way you make sounds; they can actually change the way you hear sounds. Odd as it might seem, dentures can amplify vibrations that form the sound of your voice in your own perception. The slightly different sounds you hear with dentures may not accurately reflect the sounds that other people are hearing.
Here are a handful of proven tips for learning to speak as clearly and confidently as ever with your new dentures.
Practice talking to yourself if you feel nervous about speaking to others at the outset. Remember, of course, to do so out loud. Sometimes it’s not easy to know what to say when you have to think of something on the spot, so read to yourself from the newspaper or a favorite passage.
When practicing, speak slowly. One of the biggest culprits when speaking with new dentures feels awkward or difficult is that we are speaking too fast, too soon. To make getting used to the new sensations and shapes of sound-making easier, s-l-o-w d-o-w-n.
Unless you’ve developed a passionate dislike for the sound of your own recorded voice, try recording yourself speaking with dentures after practicing for a bit. Why? It’ll give you a better sense of what other people actually hear — and a more accurate sense of how well you’re doing. The odds are really good that you sound a lot more clear than you realize. Keep up the practice until your comfort level matches how you sound.
When you are ready to start speaking to someone other than yourself and your phone, choose your audience carefully. If you’re self-conscious, practicing with co-workers, clients or other similar audiences might make your insecurity even worse. Instead, choose a friend or family member — or maybe a pet! (Though your pet might not be able to give you much feedback on your progress.)
Because dentures rest in position on your gums through tension and suction, they have a tendency to shift in the tiniest ways as we move and go about our daily motions. Just before you begin to speak, get into the habit of biting and swallowing first. The motion of biting and swallowing will help to pull your dentures into their precise proper position on your gums. It’ll make your sound-making clearer and more consistent from one conversation to the next.
If you find that your dentures are slipping as you try to speak, there are two things you should do. First, call a dentist near you to ask them to take a look at your dentures. If they’re not fitting properly, your dentist will adjust or reline them or even recommend repairs. Second, try using some denture adhesive. But don’t skip step one. Have them looked at by a clinic that specializes in dentures near you.
Learning to speak confidently again is one of the normal and natural requirements of transitioning to dentures. Millions of people have gone through the same process — successfully. Follow these tips as you go through the process yourself, and you’ll soon be part of that same statistic.