Definition & Meaning of "dental consonant"

What is a "dental consonant"?

A dental consonant is a type of speech sound produced by placing the tongue against the upper teeth or just behind them. This place of articulation results in distinct sounds that differ from other types of consonants. In English, the main examples of dental consonants are the "th" sounds found in words like "think" and "this." Dental consonants are important in phonetics because they contribute to the variety of sounds in language and can affect the pronunciation and meaning of words.