Dental consonant facts for kids

Dentals or Dental consonants are special sounds we make with our mouths. They are created when you touch the front of your tongue to your upper front teeth. Think about the "th" sound in the English word "thing" – that's a dental consonant!

What Are Dental Consonants?

Dental consonants are a type of sound called a coronal consonant. This means they are made using the front part of your tongue. When you say a dental sound, your tongue presses against or gets very close to your upper teeth. This action creates a specific kind of sound.

How We Make Dental Sounds

To make a dental sound, your tongue needs to be in just the right spot.

• For "th" sounds (like in "thing" or "this"): Your tongue gently touches the back of your upper front teeth, or even pokes out a tiny bit between your teeth. Air then flows over or around your tongue.
• For other dental sounds: Your tongue might press firmly against the teeth, blocking the air completely for a moment before releasing it.

It's all about how your tongue and teeth work together to shape the air coming out of your mouth.

Dental Sounds in English

In English, the most common dental sounds are those made with the letters "th".

• Voiceless "th": This is the sound in words like "thing," "think," and "bath." You can feel the air coming out, but your vocal cords don't vibrate.
• Voiced "th": This is the sound in words like "this," "that," and "mother." Your vocal cords vibrate, making a buzzing sound you can feel in your throat.

Even though "t" and "d" are often called "dental" in some languages, in English, they are usually made a little further back, on the ridge behind your teeth. These are called alveolar consonants.

Dental Sounds Around the World

Many languages use dental consonants, sometimes even more than English does.

• Spanish: The "t" and "d" sounds in Spanish are often dental. For example, in the word "dos" (meaning "two"), the "d" is made by touching the tongue to the teeth.
• Italian: Similar to Spanish, Italian "t" and "d" sounds are typically dental.
• Hindi: This language has a special set of dental sounds that are different from other sounds made in the mouth.
• Arabic: Many sounds in Arabic are also dental, like certain "t" and "d" sounds.

Learning about dental sounds helps us understand how different languages create their unique sounds.

Why Are They Called "Dental"?

The name "dental" comes from the word "dentist" or "dental hygiene," which all relate to teeth! So, "dental consonants" simply means "consonants made with the teeth." It's a clear way to describe where in your mouth these sounds are formed.

Understanding dental consonants helps us learn more about phonetics, which is the study of speech sounds. It shows how small movements of our tongue and mouth can create all the different sounds we use to speak.