Braces are small appliances designed to correct misaligned teeth and bite issues, but their introduction often creates temporary changes in speech and saliva production. When patients first receive their orthodontic hardware, it is common to experience both increased mouth moisture and altered articulation. These changes are a normal part of the initial adjustment period, resulting from the body’s natural response to a foreign object and physical interference with speaking mechanics. The sensation of accidentally “spitting” when talking is generally an outcome of these two factors happening simultaneously.
Why Braces Trigger Excess Saliva Production
The experience of excess saliva, or hypersalivation, is a physiological reaction that begins the moment the braces are installed. The mouth’s sensitive tissues perceive the new appliance—brackets, wires, and bands—as a foreign body. This triggers a protective mechanism. The salivary glands respond by increasing saliva output, attempting to wash away the perceived irritant or foreign object.
The brain may also interpret the hardware as food, stimulating the glands to produce saliva. Saliva is naturally produced to help break down food and lubricate swallowing. This temporary increase in moisture is beneficial, as it helps neutralize acids and wash away bacteria, which is important for maintaining oral health during orthodontic treatment.
For most people, this heightened production of saliva is a temporary side effect that subsides as the mouth adapts to the presence of the braces. The salivary receptors become accustomed to the new sensation, and production typically returns to normal within a few days to a few weeks. Until then, the sheer quantity of moisture in the mouth contributes to the “spitting” sensation.
How Braces Mechanically Affect Speech
The primary reason braces can cause a person to spray or sputter when talking is the way the hardware disrupts the intricate mechanics of speech. Speaking requires the precise movement of the tongue, lips, and teeth to control airflow and form sounds. The brackets and wires occupy space, forcing the tongue to find new positions to articulate words.
This reduced space and altered landscape most noticeably affect sibilant sounds, such as ‘S’, ‘Z’, ‘Sh’, and ‘T’, which require a narrow channel between the tongue and the front teeth. When the tongue attempts to create this channel, the braces interfere, causing air to escape differently, which can result in a temporary lisp, also known as sigmatism.
The combination of excess saliva and disrupted airflow leads to the visible issue of accidental spraying. The increased moisture gets trapped against the hardware, and when the speaker pushes air past this accumulation to produce a sound, the saliva is inadvertently propelled outward. The tongue’s muscle memory is also temporarily thrown off, requiring a brief period of re-learning to maneuver around the new obstacles.
Practical Steps for Adjusting Your Speech
The most effective way to address speech changes is to actively retrain the muscles of the tongue and mouth. Patients are encouraged to practice speaking by reading aloud for 10 to 15 minutes daily, which helps the tongue adapt its movements to the new dental landscape. Articulation exercises, such as repeating tongue twisters, can significantly improve control and clarity over challenging sounds.
Maintaining good hydration is counterintuitively helpful, as a dry mouth can make speech feel more difficult and slurred. Keeping the mouth lubricated makes it easier for the tongue to move fluidly, which improves enunciation. Using orthodontic wax on rough spots can make speaking more comfortable by reducing friction against the soft tissues.
Most individuals find that their speech begins to normalize within one to two weeks, with the majority of the adjustment complete within a month. Speaking more slowly and deliberately helps the tongue find its way around the braces until new muscle memory takes over. Being patient and allowing the mouth time to adjust is the simplest, most reliable solution to overcoming initial hurdles.