Can My Child’s Dental Health Affect Their Speech?

When parents think about their child’s dental health, they often focus on brushing habits, cavities, or braces. But did you know that oral health can also play a major role in your child’s ability to speak clearly?

At Dr. Sugar Kids Dentistry in Paradise Valley, AZ, we often hear questions like:
"My child has trouble pronouncing certain sounds—could it be related to their teeth?"
The answer is yes. Speech development and dental health are closely connected, especially during early childhood.

How Teeth and Oral Structures Affect Speech

Speech is a complex process involving the lips, tongue, palate, and teeth. When any part of this system is misaligned or underdeveloped, it can affect how sounds are produced.

Some common dental issues that may interfere with speech include:

1. Missing or Misaligned Teeth

Gaps in the teeth—especially in the front—can make it hard for kids to form certain sounds, such as “s,” “f,” or “th.” Crowded or crooked teeth can also disrupt airflow during speech.

2. Tongue Tie (Ankyloglossia)

This is a condition where the tissue under the tongue is too tight, limiting movement. It can affect speech, feeding, and oral development. In some cases, a simple dental procedure can correct it.

3. Thumb Sucking or Prolonged Pacifier Use

These habits, especially if continued beyond age 2–3, can cause the teeth to shift and the palate to narrow, leading to lisping or difficulty pronouncing certain words.

4. Open Bite or Overbite

When the upper and lower teeth don’t align properly, it may cause a speech distortion, especially with sounds that require tongue-to-tooth contact.

Common Signs That Speech May Be Affected by Dental Issues

Lisping or slurring certain sounds

Difficulty with “s,” “z,” “sh,” “ch,” or “th” sounds

Delayed speech milestones

Mouth breathing or difficulty closing the mouth completely

Frustration during conversation

If you're noticing any of these signs, it's worth having both a dental and speech evaluation. Sometimes the cause is muscular or neurological, but in many cases, it's directly related to oral development.

How a Pediatric Dentist Can Help

At Dr. Sugar Kids Dentistry in Paradise Valley, we take a whole-child approach. This means we don’t just look at teeth—we also evaluate how your child’s oral structures are developing and how they might be impacting functions like speech or swallowing.

We may recommend:

Early orthodontic evaluation

A frenectomy (if a tongue tie is present)

Space maintainers for premature tooth loss

Referrals to speech-language pathologists when needed

Habit correction for thumb sucking or mouth breathing

Working together with other healthcare professionals, we help ensure your child’s oral development supports healthy communication.

Why Early Intervention Matters

The earlier we identify and address dental-related speech challenges, the easier they are to treat. By age 7, most children should have a clear and consistent speech pattern. If issues are caught early—during the baby tooth years or early elementary—treatments are usually simpler and more effective.

Schedule a Consultation in Paradise Valley, AZ

If you’re concerned about how your child’s teeth or oral habits may be affecting their speech, we’re here to help. At Dr. Sugar, we believe that every smile should come with the confidence to speak clearly and proudly.