Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Losing Teeth

Dear Peregrin,

I keep having this reoccuring dream about my teeth falling out and would like to know what this may mean? In my first dream only one tooth fell out and it was one of my back molars and it was loose and just fell out perfectly no cracks or chips just a perfect tooth. Then last night it was in a totally separate dream unrelated to the last dream that 2 more of my molars fell out but this time they cracked when they fell out instead of just perfectly falling out. They did not look rotted and I saw no roots. I am interested as to what this may mean? Tracy

Thank you,

Tracy



Good morning, Tracy.

This particular theme illustrates exactly why I do not like dream dictionaries. There are many "standard" meanings for teeth falling out, and none of them can be applied universally.
Also, none of them take into account when it is that we actually lose our teeth: Once when we are young and once when we are old.

When we lose our teeth the first time, it is a first indication of the end of childhood. We are growing up, losing innocence. The tools which served us well in childhood no longer work for us. Translated to dreams, this could mean childlike behavior rather than baby teeth.

The second time we lose our teeth, it is usually from long use. We are growing old, diminishing, perhaps even dying. Dentures are required, and in dream terms this may mean that we feel less independent, having to rely more upon others.

Both situations are embarrassing, so losing a dream tooth can refer to some sort of public embarrassment. You could be "losing face." Perhaps you were caught "lying through your teeth." Teeth can become broken when you've "bitten off more than you can chew," indicating too much responsibility.

As you can see, by itself the dream symbol can have so many meanings, as to be meaningless.
In your two dreams, you lost molars. The back molars are often referred to as "wisdom teeth" because they grow in later in life, when we presumably gain more wisdom. Losing these teeth could indicate feeling foolish, or learning that something we believed to be a basic truth is in fact not true at all.

If the molars were replacement teeth rather than wisdom teeth, then the dreams could be triggered by something which reminds you of the time in your childhood when you actually lost these teeth.

You're not losing these teeth in a painful way, so I would associate the experience more with growth and maturity. The teeth are not rotten, they just don't fit you anymore - exactly like less mature behavior must also be cast off so that we can grow as individuals.

Everything I've told you must be considered a starting point. You can gain more clues by paying attention to how these dreams made you feel.

Pleasant dreams,

Peregrin

9 comments:

  1. I have been having dreams of my teeth being lose and could pull them right out but didn't.
    I have Cancer and AIDS and your interpretation of the losing teeth dream makes since now. I never knew what it meant but I didn't like it.
    David

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  2. well my dream was similar to that of yours. Instead the next morning my dog died whom i loved very much. I dont know if this relates to my dream or not, but i feel sad and blue now.

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  3. In my dream, one tooth after the lower canine fell out, then the molar fell out, but still holding on to the gums with blood gushing out like a waterfountain...what does this mean?

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  4. in this dream my lower right cuspid had broken in half and was loose. my mum told me to go pull it out so i went to the bathroom to pull it out then while i pulled it out it was like i ripped out a line of my teeth coming out very easily. these other teeth were my lower right lateral, central right and central left. it was very horrorfying and very realistic in my dream. i went to show my mum as she started asking me well whats drugs have u been taking. i then woke up

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  5. Good morning, Jennifer.
    In this dream, you not only lose teeth but also lots of blood. The blood probably represents life slipping away, as in aging, so this particular tooth loss dream sounds like it is expressing a fear of growing old.
    --
    Pleasant dreams,
    Peregrin

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  6. Good morning, Sara.
    Your dream seems to be dealing with false accusations. You are doing as you are told by an authority figure, and your actions have disastrous results. You are blamed for the problems, and don't feel as if you are able to defend yourself. So that's the situation I'd look for in waking life, and find some way to explain what actually happened. You shouldn't take the blame if you are not at fault.
    Pleasant dreams,
    Peregrin

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  7. I had a dream last night that my crowns ( 2 front) were breaking apart and that fillings were falling out as well. Some blood, not a lot! The weird thing about the dream was that the dentists were two men that were similar to "Pen and Teller" (comedian magicians that are now dentists) I didn't get this. The dream also had me driving in different directions trying to get somewhere and then I would end up back at the dentist trying to fix my tooth. I also remember the dentists telling me that it would be done in 10 minutes, but in the dream, it took a lot longer. Seemed as though days passed. There were people in the dream, who were suppose to be good friends of mine, whom I did not recognize at all in real life. The dream ended with me leaving the dentist with perfect crowns again, but also telling my REAL- LIFE dentist that I didn't go to him for the repair because I wasn't happy with the original crowns and that if they were already crumbling after 7 months that he obviously didn't do a good job.

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  8. I had teh strangest dream last night and I just can't get it out of my head. I was in a dark place and my teeth started to feel very very loose, so I was trying my hardest to keep them in. All of a sudden I could no longer keep them in and when they came out they were like a sphere shape and blood and gum were still on them. Later on in the dream, I guess I had my teeth back, but I still had my teeth in my hand. I wanted to buy something very expensive nad when I went to pay I opened my hand and my teeth were encrusted with brilliant jewels.

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  9. I had a dream last night and i was bitting hard and my tooth behind the canine broke in pieces. As it was coming out i could see that the inside was empty, in the dream I was saying to myself on how bad of a job the dentist had done. I was afraid that other teeth will follow but that was the only one. No blood, just scared in the dream. I'm getting married in two weeks. Could this be stress? What does this mean?

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