Talking clearly with new teeth: did you see that recent study?

I actually did the tongue twister thing after getting partials last year - felt ridiculous at first, but it honestly helped with those tricky “s” and “sh” sounds. My dentist mentioned the muscles need to relearn everything, kind of like physical therapy for your mouth. Reading out loud made me more aware of where my tongue was hitting, too. It took longer than I wanted, but not as long as I feared. The frustration is real though... phone calls were the worst for me, since you can’t rely on gestures or lip reading.

It took longer than I wanted, but not as long as I feared.

I get what you mean about tongue twisters, but honestly, I found them a bit awkward and didn’t stick with it. For me, just talking more with family or reading the news aloud helped more than any “exercise.” Plus, I couldn’t justify spending extra on speech therapy sessions. I do agree, though - phone calls are brutal at first.

I totally relate to skipping the tongue twisters - they felt a bit forced for me, too. Reading aloud was way less awkward, especially when I could just pick an article or even a recipe and go for it. Phone calls are still tough some days, though. Did you ever notice if certain words or sounds were trickier for you? For me, “s” and “th” took forever to sound normal again... kind of funny in hindsight.

“Th” and “s” were my nemesis too - felt like I was hissing at people for a while. My wife kept teasing me about sounding like a cartoon snake. Honestly, reading recipes out loud was my go-to, mostly because I could snack after, which felt like a reward for all the awkward talking. I still trip up with certain words if I’m tired or distracted, but it’s way better than those first few weeks.

That hissing thing is so real - I remember catching myself doing it and just laughing. My partner joked I sounded like a leaky radiator for weeks. Reading out loud definitely helped, but I never thought to use recipes... that’s genius, honestly. The weird mouth noises do settle down after a while, thankfully. It’s wild how much your brain adapts, even if there are still a couple tongue-twisters that trip me up when I’m wiped out. You’re not alone - sounds like you’re making great progress.

I had to laugh at the “leaky radiator” bit - my grandson called my new teeth “squeaky shoes” for a month. Reading out loud was a lifesaver for me too, but I’ll admit, my cookbook got a real workout. Funny how reading recipes out loud made me slow down and actually pronounce things instead of mumbling. The tongue-twisters still get me if I’m tired, but like you said, “

the weird mouth noises do settle down after a while

Funny how reading recipes out loud made me slow down and actually pronounce things instead of mumbling.

That’s exactly what happened to me, except I used my daughter’s old storybooks. “Green Eggs and Ham” got a LOT of airtime. I think the rhymes helped me get my S’s and TH’s right, but man, there were days when even “Sam-I-am” sounded like I had a mouthful of marbles. My partner still teases me about the way I said “scrambled eggs” for weeks.

I’m with you on the tongue-twisters - some days they’re just impossible if I’m tired or my mouth feels a bit sore. But it really is wild how your mouth just adapts. At first, I was convinced I’d never sound normal again, but now, most folks don’t even notice unless I point it out.

Curious if anyone else found certain foods trickier to say or eat at first? For me it was “crackers” - the word and the snack both gave me trouble.

Interesting you mention “crackers” - for me, it was actually “peanut butter” that threw me off, both in terms of eating and saying it. The way it sticks to your palate made it feel like my tongue and new teeth just weren’t on speaking terms for a while. I kept thinking tongue-twisters would help, but honestly, I sometimes felt like they made things worse by making me hyper-aware of every tiny slip-up. Maybe that’s just me overanalyzing, though.

I did notice something a bit different from what you described, too. While storybooks and rhymes were helpful, I found that reading technical instructions (like assembling furniture or following a manual) forced me to focus more on enunciation and less on rhythm or rhyme. It’s almost like the lack of predictable patterns made my mouth work harder. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing, but it definitely felt different compared to reading Dr. Seuss.

Also, about adapting - my experience was slower than what some folks report. I kept hearing that most people “don’t even notice” after a few weeks, but I felt self-conscious for months, especially with words that had lots of “ch” or “sh” sounds. Sometimes I wonder if people are just being polite and not mentioning it.

One thing I’m curious about: did anyone else have issues with temperature sensitivity at first? Cold foods made my teeth ache way more than hot ones, which surprised me. I expected the opposite.

Anyway, it’s reassuring to know I’m not the only one who struggled with certain foods and words. The whole process is weirder than I expected... but I guess that’s just part of the adjustment.

Totally get what you mean about peanut butter - it’s like it glues everything together in the worst way. I also had a weird time with temperature sensitivity, but for me, hot drinks were the worst at first. Cold stuff just made my teeth feel numb, but coffee was almost painful. Did your dentist say if that’s normal? I always felt awkward asking about it, honestly. Also, I still trip up on “sh” sounds sometimes... maybe it just takes longer for some of us.

Peanut butter is the ultimate test, isn’t it? I still avoid it unless I’m feeling brave. My dentist said the sensitivity should settle down after a few months, but honestly, some days coffee still gets me. Those “sh” sounds tripped me up for ages - felt like my tongue had to learn a new dance. Guess patience is half the battle...

Those “sh” sounds tripped me up for ages - felt like my tongue had to learn a new dance.

Totally get that - my S’s and Z’s sounded weird for weeks. I kept practicing in the car, just repeating random words. Did you notice any foods that actually helped with the sensitivity, or was it just a waiting game?