Losing One's Teeth

[citizennumber3]

Ever since I was a little girl I've had dreams about losing my teeth. (Yes, I do brush twice a day, and occasionally floss ) Every few months I seem to have at least one dream where my teeth either fall out or feel like they're going to fall out. This has been going on, like I said, for most of my life. Sometimes there'll be a month where I have more than one, sometimes I'll go through a long stretch of not having any. So one every three months is my estimated average. I've read in books and on the internet that when you lose your teeth in a dream, it means that you feel like you're losing control of your life. But I can't say I really have that fear. Why would I have that fear when I was 7 years old? It doesn't seem to make any sense. If anything, I feel that I'm very much in control of my life. A lot of my friends are worried about college, not knowing which ones they want to apply to, having no idea what they want to major in or do with the rest of their life. I have a pretty good idea of what I want to do with my life, where I want to go to collge, what I want to study--a bunch of back-up plans in case I can't do what I want. I don't fear loss of control, because I'm one of those people who believes in fate and that there are no coincidences in life. Everything happens for a reason. If some great tragedy happens, I know it will have a purpose. Does anyone have an alternative interpretation of these dreams? What do you think losing one's teeth represents?

[HotPastrami]

I've had dreams about losing my teeth alot, too. Sometimes they loosen and just fall out, sometimes they crumble and fill my mouth. I haven't gotten a concrete interpretation for it anywhere, but I did just find this explanation by Steve Hall on: http://www.your-official-guide.com Dreams about teeth, particularly dreams where the dreamer finds his or her teeth falling out, are much more common than you might think. Some common forms of this dream include dreams in which the dreamer’s teeth crumble in his or her hands, or dreams in which the teeth fall out with just a light touch. These dreams can be extremely frightening, even more so than chase dreams or falling dreams. In addition, such dreams often leave the dreamer with an image that is hard to shake even after waking. There are many theories about just what teeth, and losing teeth, represent in the dream world, and these can be some of the most difficult dreams to interpret. One theory holds that dreams about teeth, and losing teeth, are a reflection of the dreamer’s anxiety about his or her appearance, and about how the dreamer thinks others perceive him or her. This interpretation is certainly valid, especially since we live in a society that seems to value physical beauty above all else. Since a good set of teeth play an important role in physical beauty, it is easy to see how uncertainties about one’s appearance could manifest themselves in dreams about losing teeth. Since teeth play such an important role in physical attraction scenarios, such as flirting and getting the attention of the opposite sex, dreams of losing teeth can be manifestations of fears of getting old, fears of sexual impotence or other dating related anxieties. Other interpretations of dreams of losing teeth hold that they are representations of fear of embarrassment or making a fool of oneself. For instance, someone who is dreading a potentially embarrassing situation, such as making a speech or other public speaking engagement, may dream of his or her teeth falling out. This type of dream would represent an exaggeration of already present fears or anxieties brought on by the upcoming event. People who are troubled by dreams of losing teeth or teeth falling out should examine their own lives for the source of possible embarrassment or appearance based anxieties. Another theory holds that teeth in dreams represent power, since they are used in real life to tear, chew, and bite. Therefore, the loss of teeth in a dream represents a perceived loss of power or influence. People who feel frustrated, or who feel that their voices are not being heard, may have dreams about losing teeth. Feeling ineffective, or feelings of inferiority, are often associated with such dreams as well. Finally, some of the latest dream research has revealed that women have more frequent dreams about teeth as they enter menopause. These dreams about teeth may be related to anxieties about appearance and fears of getting older. There are of course other interpretations of dreams of missing or losing teeth. There are interpretations of this dream in a number of cultures around the world, further testament to the fact that teeth are a common dream theme in many cultures. One biblical interpretation of the dream of losing teeth holds that the bad teeth mean the dreamer is placing his or her faith in the works of man rather than in the word of God. Thus the falling teeth in the dream are urging the dreamer to turn back to God for guidance. The ancient Greeks believed that dreams about loose, rotting or missing teeth were warnings that a close friend or family member was very ill or near death. The Chinese hold that teeth falling out is a punishment for lying, and that dreams of falling teeth are manifestations of guilt over telling lies. Some have even suggested that dreams of missing teeth are associated with money. This connection probably goes back to the old tooth fairy story, where children are rewarded with money for putting their lost teeth under their pillows.

[carlhungis]

I've had dreams about losing my teeth alot, too. Sometimes they loosen and just fall out, sometimes they crumble and fill my mouth. I haven't gotten a concrete interpretation for it anywhere, but I did just find this explanation by Steve Hall on: http://www.your-official-guide.com Dreams about teeth, particularly dreams where the dreamer finds his or her teeth falling out, are much more common than you might think. Some common forms of this dream include dreams in which the dreamer’s teeth crumble in his or her hands, or dreams in which the teeth fall out with just a light touch. These dreams can be extremely frightening, even more so than chase dreams or falling dreams. In addition, such dreams often leave the dreamer with an image that is hard to shake even after waking. There are many theories about just what teeth, and losing teeth, represent in the dream world, and these can be some of the most difficult dreams to interpret. One theory holds that dreams about teeth, and losing teeth, are a reflection of the dreamer’s anxiety about his or her appearance, and about how the dreamer thinks others perceive him or her. This interpretation is certainly valid, especially since we live in a society that seems to value physical beauty above all else. Since a good set of teeth play an important role in physical beauty, it is easy to see how uncertainties about one’s appearance could manifest themselves in dreams about losing teeth. Since teeth play such an important role in physical attraction scenarios, such as flirting and getting the attention of the opposite sex, dreams of losing teeth can be manifestations of fears of getting old, fears of sexual impotence or other dating related anxieties. Other interpretations of dreams of losing teeth hold that they are representations of fear of embarrassment or making a fool of oneself. For instance, someone who is dreading a potentially embarrassing situation, such as making a speech or other public speaking engagement, may dream of his or her teeth falling out. This type of dream would represent an exaggeration of already present fears or anxieties brought on by the upcoming event. People who are troubled by dreams of losing teeth or teeth falling out should examine their own lives for the source of possible embarrassment or appearance based anxieties. Another theory holds that teeth in dreams represent power, since they are used in real life to tear, chew, and bite. Therefore, the loss of teeth in a dream represents a perceived loss of power or influence. People who feel frustrated, or who feel that their voices are not being heard, may have dreams about losing teeth. Feeling ineffective, or feelings of inferiority, are often associated with such dreams as well. Finally, some of the latest dream research has revealed that women have more frequent dreams about teeth as they enter menopause. These dreams about teeth may be related to anxieties about appearance and fears of getting older. There are of course other interpretations of dreams of missing or losing teeth. There are interpretations of this dream in a number of cultures around the world, further testament to the fact that teeth are a common dream theme in many cultures. One biblical interpretation of the dream of losing teeth holds that the bad teeth mean the dreamer is placing his or her faith in the works of man rather than in the word of God. Thus the falling teeth in the dream are urging the dreamer to turn back to God for guidance. The ancient Greeks believed that dreams about loose, rotting or missing teeth were warnings that a close friend or family member was very ill or near death. The Chinese hold that teeth falling out is a punishment for lying, and that dreams of falling teeth are manifestations of guilt over telling lies. Some have even suggested that dreams of missing teeth are associated with money. This connection probably goes back to the old tooth fairy story, where children are rewarded with money for putting their lost teeth under their pillows. [/b] I have had several of them. For me it is without a doubt a sign of anxiety. I used to have them in college or when I was in the Marines. I would always have them when I felt like I was falling behind in my work. I have heard several crazy intrpretations, such as sexual frustration, concern about your appearance... etc. I am no professional, but I think it is anxiety... pure and simple.

[citizennumber3]

Wow! Thank you, HotPastrami, that information really helped! I think I understand my dreams now.

[Leo Volont]

Actually the 'losing teeth' thing is part of a wider motif of various damages done to the face. Teeth are our 'smile', the way our Persona has of ingratiating itself. But all of the other injuries done to the face in dreams -- they ain't pretty either. I suppose the Dream Higher Mind is notifying us of our material flaws. Along with Mortality, we must live with inevitable decay. Now I would suppose that there is some kind of Dream alternative... being able to drop the Copy of the Physical Body that we carry with us in our Dreams, and assume some more purely Astral Body of Light. Afterall, when we are dreaming, why is it that we carry around with us this facsimile of our Waking Self? Many of us dream of having other bodies. Some even dream of being animals. Once I dreamt of looking down at my hands and seeing these little spiritual things glowing with a white silvery light. So, perhaps all those dreams of damage to the face are reminders that we need to think of other arrangements, as the body will not last forever.

[Tornado Joe]

Hey Citizen! While you're looking for interpretation of this re-occurrence, don't overlook the fact that this frequent dream element is quite a dreamsign for you and that you can use it as a cue to lucidity! If you can train your mind in waking life to do a reality check or even just believe that your teeth falling out can ONLY happen in a dream (unless someone punches you in the face, of course), you will greatly increase your chances of having a DILD! Not only that, but if this type of dream is disturbing to you, I've noticed that once I use a dreamsign to become lucid, that dreamsign very rarely returns much after that.

[HotPastrami]

Hey Citizen! While you're looking for interpretation of this re-occurrence, don't overlook the fact that this frequent dream element is quite a dreamsign for you and that you can use it as a cue to lucidity! If you can train your mind in waking life to do a reality check or even just believe that your teeth falling out can ONLY happen in a dream (unless someone punches you in the face, of course), you will greatly increase your chances of having a DILD! Not only that, but if this type of dream is disturbing to you, I've noticed that once I use a dreamsign to become lucid, that dreamsign very rarely returns much after that. [/b] I started using it as a dreamsign awhile ago...sometimes it works. Often times though i am so convinced that it is real, i say to myself, "I wish I was dreaming, because this really sucks!" If I do gain lucidity using this, I usually wake up pretty quickly afterward...because I can't seem to get over all my teeth falling out of my head.

[citizennumber3]

I started using it as a dreamsign awhile ago...sometimes it works. Often times though i am so convinced that it is real, i say to myself, "I wish I was dreaming, because this really sucks!" If I do gain lucidity using this, I usually wake up pretty quickly afterward...because I can't seem to get over all my teeth falling out of my head. [/b] Same here. I mean, I never thought about using it as a dream sign (didn't start learning about lucid dreaming, dream recall, dream signs, etc. until recently.) But it's usually disturbing enough to convince me it's real and I'm too caught up in the fact, I think, to really be aware it's a dream. Often the location for my teeth-losing-dreams is my own home. So it'd be difficult to distinguish dream from reality--but I will try my best, and hopefully this will help. Thanks for pointing that out.

[unclesirbob]

TEETH : Teeth are permanent parts of our body which if removed cause immense pain. So if your teeth fall out it may suggest that you are thinking about some permanent part of your life which is under threat. It could also mean that you have recently ended a relationship or left a job. KEY WORDS(Pick a quote which captures your feelings right now. Think especially of the day before the dream) : - "It was a difficult break up" - "it felt like it was a part of me" - "I feared I would lose him" - "leaving my job" - "moving away" - "my teeth need some attention" - "I am worried about my teeth" Dreams symbolise our actual thoughts. Some of those thoughts we may easily admit to yet others we may not want(they maybe embarassing truths). So if you are trying to understand someones dreams then the immediate thoughts on their mind maybe very important. You may also be able to pinpoint the very issue that the dream was triggered by just by getting them to talk openly and freely on the subjects on their mind. The following pages will all help you in understanding dream analysis. http://www.geocities.com/hairybobby2000/dr...yhowtopost.html How to interpret dreams http://www.geocities.com/hairybobby2000/dreamessay.html Dream dictionary http://www.geocities.com/hairybobby2...ssayhowto.html How to use symbols http://www.geocities.com/hairybobby2...ookpolice.html Dream studies Well dreams about teeth can have several meanings. Anxiety and thoughts about your appearance woiuld make sense. So if there is an issue over which that was important then it could relate to that? If the answer fits into real life and the previous day there as a moment of real anxiety then yes do not dismiss such an explanation. ----------------------------- Many dream dictionaries tend to share a common mistake. They tend to use symbols in only one uniform sense. They will begin each definition with the phrase "You need to be more ..."(for instance the Army in dreams means that you need to be more disciplined). This is a fiundemental mistake. Dreams use symbols in rich and varied ways. You should realise that dreams can use dream symbols in the past context, the present context and the future context. They can refer to you and your own emotions but if they choose to they will concentrate on other people and issues surrounding them. Try this page for a further explanation. http://www.geocities.com/hairybobby2...ssayhowto.html

[citizennumber3]

unclesirbob, you make a very good point--dreams are subjective. They don't have one uniform, concrete meaning. And yes, I can definitely apply one of these interpretations to my life. From a very young age, I've been involved in theater. Theater camps, after school programs, workshops, etc. you name it. But I have also been cast in productions since age 11. I auditioned for "Annie" when I was 9 (it was for Lyric Theater--this group performs on the Flynn main stage in Burlington, which is Vermont's equivalent of Broadway, pretty much. Norhtern Vermont's equivalent, anyway.) So, from a very young age, I've been very self-concious of my appearance. I want to pursue an acting career, and go to college for theater, but I realize how competitive it will be. Because I'm not an anorexic blonde, I fear that I'll have trouble finding work. So I think that is probably the underlying message of my dream--that anxiety and fear that I don't live up to society's standard of "beauty" and, as a result, I can't pursue my dream.

[QwinsepiaSquared]

Just because you're not an anorexic blonde doesn't mean you can't pursure a career in acting. Not every character is a skinny dumb blonde anyway. Do you think having your eyes pop out could be basically the same as having your teeth fall out? Cause I used to have all these dreams where my eyes would fall out, or someone else's would, and I'd be so scared when I woke up I'd have to check if my eyes were there. (Too bad I didn't know about lucid dreaming then&#33