Many kids struggle with speech; sometimes, the cause is right inside the mouth.
We usually think that speech problems come from the brain or are caused by learning delays. But in many cases, it happens because the teeth, tongue, or jaw are not working well. A child’s mouth plays a big role in how they pronounce words, and issues like misaligned teeth, being tongue-tied, or breathing through the mouth can make it harder for them to speak clearly.
Let’s see how dental problems can affect speech, what signs to look for, and some treatments and dental care ideas to help your child speak more clearly and with confidence.
Speech problems refer to difficulties in producing sounds correctly, fluently, or with the appropriate voice tone and resonance. These challenges vary in severity and may affect both children and adults.
These problems are often addressed by speech-language pathologists, but identifying and addressing underlying causes, such as dental or hearing issues, is crucial for successful outcomes.
Our teeth, tongue, lips, and the roof of the mouth (palate) all work together to help us speak. When there’s a problem with any of these, speech may be affected. Below are common dental-related causes of speech problems:
If your teeth are not aligned properly, it can be hard for your tongue to touch them in the right way to make sounds like “t,” “d,” or “s.”
Gaps or overcrowded teeth might create a lisp or unclear speech. Additionally, misaligned teeth or jaw problems can change the way the voice resonates, sometimes giving it a nasal tone.
Tongue-tie limits the range of tongue movement in the oral cavity. This restriction makes it difficult to form sounds that require tongue elevation or flexibility, such as “l,” “th,” and “r.”
A lip tie is a condition in which the tissue connecting the upper lip to the gums is too short or too tight, restricting movement and causing difficulties with feeding, speaking, and dental health.
When baby teeth fall out too early or adult teeth erupt unevenly, speech can be affected. Missing front teeth, for example, often cause problems with sounds like “s,” “sh,” and “z.”
Tooth placement helps guide tongue movements during speech. Missing or decayed baby teeth can create slurred or unclear sounds.
Kids who mostly breathe through their mouths, often due to allergies, enlarged adenoids, or other causes, may develop bad oral posture. This can affect how the jaw and palate grow, leading to unclear or muffled speech.
Orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMD), such as chronic mouth breathing, can interfere with the normal growth, development, or function of oral structures, leading to speech problems
Using a pacifier or sucking a thumb for too long can reshape the palate and contribute to an open bite or other malocclusions hinder articulation and may delay speech development.
Prolonged thumb-sucking may lead to dental and speech problems, affecting the alignment of teeth and causing jaw issues.
To learn how to speak, children need to hear clearly. Hearing helps them recognize sounds, understand words, and repeat them correctly. When hearing is affected, speech development can be delayed.
If hearing loss is suspected, a comprehensive hearing evaluation by an audiologist becomes necessary. In many cases, audiology and dental evaluations complement each other to determine the root cause of speech problems.
Not all speech problems come from the mouth, but many do. It’s important to pay attention to certain signs that may suggest a dental cause.
If these signs keep showing up, as your child grows, it’s a good idea to schedule a dental checkup. A dentist can spot issues you might not see, like a short tongue (aka tongue-tie), teeth that aren’t in the right place, or habits that affect how the mouth develops.
Working as a team, these professionals help find the cause of your child’s speech issues and build a plan to improve both their oral health and communication.
Once the cause is identified – dental, auditory, or both – a personalized treatment plan can be created. Those treatments can include:
Orthodontic treatment can also correct bite issues that affect speech clarity.
Early intervention can prevent long-term dental and health issues.
These appliances can also correct narrow palates that contribute to speech problems.
In cases of APD, therapy and classroom accommodations may be recommended.
Early dental visits play a crucial role in preventing cavities, establishing good oral hygiene habits, and ensuring proper dental development.
Speech problems aren’t always about the brain; sometimes, they start with the mouth or ears. Things like misaligned teeth, tongue-tie, or hearing issues can quietly affect how a child speaks.
With early checkups and the right support, many problems can be treated. If you’re worried about your child’s speech, schedule a visit to the dentist. It could be the first step toward clearer words, better communication, and a more confident smile.
A speech delay means a child is taking longer to start talking. A speech problem from dental issues usually affects how sounds are made – like lisping or unclear pronunciation – even if the child talks a lot. If you think the issue might be related to the mouth or teeth, start with a pediatric dentist. But often, speech problems need a team approach. Dentists, speech therapists, and even audiologists, may all play a part in helping your child speak more clearly. Absolutely. Dentists can spot issues like bite problems, missing teeth, or tongue restrictions, all of which can affect how a child speaks. Early dental visits help catch these problems sooner. Some speech issues may improve with time, but many don’t go away on their own. Untreated problems can affect school, self-confidence, and how kids connect with others. Some kids talk later than others, but if your child isn’t saying words by 18 months or combining words by age 2, it’s a good idea to check with a doctor, dentist, or speech therapist.
1. Newman, D. (2024, September 15). Common speech and language disorders. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/children/speech-language-disorders
2. NIDCD. (2025, March 11). Quick statistics about voice, speech, language. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/statistics/quick-statistics-voice-speech-language
3. Rocha, I. A., Borges, O. A. C., Ribeiro, L. M., Oliveira, M. G., Marques, A. M., Freire, M. J., Maia, L., Martins, J. P. A., & Serra, N. J. M. (2024). Juvenile language disorders and their interaction with dentistry: a bibliometric analysis. Acta Odontológica Latinoamericana, 37(1), 68–78. https://doi.org/10.54589/aol.37/1/68
4. Tashkandi, N. E., AlDosary, R., Zamandar, H., Alalwan, M., Alwothainani, M., Aljoaid, H., Alghazhmri, D., Allam, E., Marya, A., & Adel, S. M. (2025). The relationship between malocclusion and speech patterns: a cross-sectional study. BMC Oral Health, 25(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-025-05437-0
5. Watt, S., Dyer, T., Marshman, Z., Jones, K. (2024). Does poor oral health impact on young children’s development? A rapid review. British Dental Journal 237, 255–260. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-024-7738-4
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