All of your teeth fall out. And then you wake up.
Has this ever happened to you? And, after you woke up, did you re-examine your oral care regimen? It's not uncommon. Yet, there’s a pretty good chance this dream had nothing to do with your oral care. Yep! It turns out this dream is often brought on by some other variable in your life. Let’s look at some possibilities.
Interpretations of the Teeth Falling Out Dream
It seems like a dream about your teeth falling out of your mouth would be bad news. But that is not the case. There are positive interpretations as well as negative. The dream can represent everything from a major life change to lack of self esteem; from the fear of getting older to money issues; from symbolizing rebirth to regretting something you’ve said.
Here are the top five positive and negative interpretations of this common dream:
5 Positive Interpretations of Dreaming Your Teeth Fell Out
1. Signs of Personal Growth.
Teeth are often symbolic of growing up: you’re born without teeth, you get your baby teeth, you lose your baby teeth, you get your adult teeth. As an adult, this dream could represent a progression from one situation to another.
2. A Secret Wish to Be Nurtured.
This interpretation means you want to go back to an easier time – like when you were a kid – and mom and dad took care of everything. It also indicates that you’re facing a period of potential growth, and if you play it right, everything will turn out great.
3. Looking at Loss and Personal Growth.
This dream could represent your need to take care of yourself while you’re going through radical life changes. You may be experiencing growth, discovering personal aspects that were previously hidden, and developing aspects that had been neglected.
4. Renewed Strength and Self Esteem.
Teeth can be seen as symbols of power. So if you get this dream, it can relate to your personal strength. It may ultimately represent gaining more control over your environment or others, or a rise in your confidence level in either a business situation or a personal relationship.
5. Rebirth.
According to psychologist C.G. Jung, the teeth falling out dream symbolizes giving birth to something new. The act of the teeth falling out reflects the tension (and sometimes pain) that comes with starting something new. A new job, new home, new relationship, or going through a period of significant growth fit this category.
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5 Negative Interpretations of Dreaming Your Teeth Fell Out
1. Feeling Insecure.
Teeth falling out are associated with loss and important life changes. This dream could indicate that you’re dealing with some kind of loss, like an abrupt end to a relationship or a job change.
2. Making Costly Compromises.
This dream can happen when we’re confronted with a decision, but we’re not satisfied with the options. You may be disillusioned about your career path, but you’re also concerned about the cost of going back to school.
3. Unwilling to Make a Choice.
This dream could be highlighting the price of inaction. Or it may represent the feeling that you’ve lost the ability to digest critical information needed to make a decision.
4. Concerns with Self Image.
A common interpretation is the fear of aging, becoming less efficient or productive at work, or lacking assertiveness.
5. A Freudian Thing.
According to Freud, this dream represents sexual repression. Teeth falling out in a dream is considered a symbol of castration and fear regarding the male genitalia. And it could relate to anxiety about sexual interaction with a partner. A less literal interpretation could be the idea of powerlessness, aggression, and concerns for your safety.
Whether negative or positive, your interpretation is far more meaningful when you connect it with events, situations or feelings you have in your personal life. Ask yourself what this imagery could represent, or what role it could play in your dream life and in your awake life.
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*This blog post originally published October 2015 and updated July 2018.
