# Dreaming about rotten teeth **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 14, 2010, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dreaming-about-rotten-teeth/564093 "2010-12-14T06:15:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TNWPsycho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/47e85d/32.png) [@TNWPsycho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TNWPsycho)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dreaming-about-rotten-teeth/564093/1 "2010-12-14T06:15:36Z")
I read somewhere a month or so ago, that people dreaming about their own teeth rotting away is a very common dream. I’ll admit i’ve had this dream 3 times in my 20 years of life. (All 3 times this year) What gives? Is this really a common dream? Why? Note: I do not have pristine teeth, i’m sure i have a mild case of gingivitis like most of the world. It is not an issue that normally rests heavily on my mind. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dreaming-about-rotten-teeth/564093/2 "2010-12-14T07:16:39Z")
I vaguely remember reading that it is common for teenagers to have this dream which matches with my experience. It’s difficult to google for decent cites as the vast majority of them are new agey woo crap. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dreaming-about-rotten-teeth/564093/3 "2010-12-14T07:31:09Z")
I’ve had this dream about 50 times in my life. Figuring I’m 50 years old and sleep 365 times per year the ratio is pretty small. I’ve also dreamed about flying, falling, being late for [school, work, etc.] and forgetting to study for a very important test. These are all supposed to be common dreams. Why isn’t having ones _ic_ _uc_ed by a gaggle of college cheerleaders a common dream? ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dreaming-about-rotten-teeth/564093/4 "2010-12-14T10:21:36Z")
I don’t know about rotten teeth, but if you dream about your tooth falling out, that means someone you know is going to die :eek: ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dreaming-about-rotten-teeth/564093/5 "2010-12-14T10:50:44Z")
I usually have the dream a week or two before my annual dental checkup. I chalk it up to my subconscious nagging me to be more diligent about brushing. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dreaming-about-rotten-teeth/564093/6 "2010-12-14T12:19:03Z")
I’ve had that dream a couple of times and it is indeed said to be very common. It’s certainly depicted often enough on TV shows and in movies, and I wonder if that makes it more prevalent. (I don’t know how common it really is, but if you enter “Teeth” into google, the fourth option is “teeth falling out dream.”) Here are the explanations from the first few Google hits. It’s a great example of why I think one-size-fits-all dream interpretation is for the birds. I can imagine this is a common anxiety because teeth are important to your health and socially, but according to the experts, it can represent _anything_. > **[Dream Moods: Common Dreams: Falling Teeth](http://www.dreammoods.com/cgibin/teethdreams.pl?method=exact&header=dreamid&search=teethintro)** > > Dream Moods is the only free online source you need to discover the meanings to your dreams. Check out our ever expanding dream dictionary, fascinating discussion forums, and other interesting topics related to dreaming > [@](#): > > One theory is that dreams about your teeth reflect your anxieties about your appearance and how others perceive you. Your teeth help to convey an image of attractiveness and play an important role in the game of flirtation, whether it is flashing those pearly white, kissing or necking. Thus, such dreams may stem from a fear of rejection, sexual impotence or the consequences of getting old. > […] > Another rationalization for these falling teeth dreams may be rooted in your fear of being embarrassed or making a fool of yourself in some situation. > […] > It has also been said that if you dream of your teeth falling out, then it symbolizes money. > **[Losing Teeth Dream Symbol - Dreams](http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art10573.asp)** > > Dreams of losing teeth are among the most disturbing of all dreams. But maybe they are actually trying to help us! - Losing Teeth Dream Symbol - Dreams at BellaOnline > [@](#): > > Teeth are symbolic of the ability to make decisions, and problems with teeth can be related to indecisiveness. > […] > These dreams may also be an indicator that you are not assimilating information around you, so you don�t have all the facts about certain situations. > **[pussy chinese japan18xxxxhd videos-pussy chinese chinesexxxxhd videos-4TUBE](http://www.dreamsleep.net/commondreams/meaning-of-teeth-dream.html)** > > Dive into a world of enticing adult content with our extensive collection of pussy chinese. Experience over 10 million hot and steamy sex movies that cater to all tastes, featuring everything from hardcore action to amateur clips. Whether you're into... > [@](#): > > Psychological Meaning: Dreaming of teeth falling out may represent insecurity. These dreams often occur at a time of transition between one phase of life and another. When we lost our milk teeth, we also gradually lost our childhood innocence. Loosing your teeth therefore show that today you have similar feelings of uncertainty and self-consciousness as you did in childhood. The dream could also highlight your worries about getting older or your sexual attractiveness. > > Animal teeth may represent aggressiveness and false teeth may represent concern about your self-image. The dream could also be triggered by subtle toothache that you are not yet consciously aware of. [http://www.suite101.com/content/teeth-falling-out-in-dreams-a46402](http://www.suite101.com/content/teeth-falling-out-in-dreams-a46402) > [@](#): > > [ul] > [li]Symbol of Powerlessness[/li][li]Tooth Loss Dreams as Fear of Change[/li][li]Fear of Failure or Embarrassment[/li][li]Poor Health and Financial Instability[/li][li]Abandonment[/li][li]Loose Lips Sink Ships[/li][/ul] Got all that? ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dreaming-about-rotten-teeth/564093/7 "2010-12-14T12:52:48Z")
As usual, [xkcd](http://xkcd.com/719/) shows us the way. (Don’t forget the mouse-over text.) ---
**Author:** ![jasonh300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/46a35a/32.png) [@jasonh300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasonh300)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dreaming-about-rotten-teeth/564093/8 "2010-12-15T02:41:21Z")
I have the loose teeth dream on a regular basis, and also something not unlike driving from the back seat. Usually it’s that I’m driving and can’t quite reach the pedals. I also dream about having to run (either to get somewhere or to get away from something) and I can’t run fast enough, and end up using my arms and legs to run, which gets me going a lot faster. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dreaming-about-rotten-teeth/564093/9 "2010-12-15T03:02:35Z")
I’ve always heard that it was about being afraid of change. It recalls the life transitions that happened when you lost your baby teeth. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dreaming-about-rotten-teeth/564093/10 "2010-12-15T03:04:37Z")
I occasionally dream about my teeth becoming loose and falling out (which bears some resemblance to reality). But at least they’re not rotten. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dreaming-about-rotten-teeth/564093/11 "2010-12-15T04:52:46Z")
I had a similar dream for the first time last night. My teeth were loose so I tugged them out, and it came out with like a quarter of my jawbone. I wonder if I was primed by glancing over the title of this thread in the forum view. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dreaming-about-rotten-teeth/564093/12 "2010-12-15T06:15:57Z")
I had the “teeth going bad and then falling out” dream fairly regularly for much of my life. Then I had some teeth pulled and replaced with a partial. That was nearly 10 years ago and I haven’t had it since. In my case, my “teeth falling out” dream may have actually been about my teeth. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dreaming-about-rotten-teeth/564093/13 "2010-12-15T06:47:40Z")
I wonder about this dream, too. I don’t usually dream rotten teeth, but teeth falling out or getting pulled out. The fear of death explanation seems to resonate a bit. Maybe indecision and fear of change, too. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dreaming-about-rotten-teeth/564093/14 "2010-12-15T07:21:04Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > I occasionally dream about my teeth becoming loose and falling out (which bears some resemblance to reality). But at least they’re not rotten. Teeth falling out or becoming loose is probably my second most recurring dream, after the typical school stress dreams (forgot where the final is/missed a class all semester/etc.) ---
**Author:** ![Ruby\_Slippers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/94ad74/32.png) [@Ruby\_Slippers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby_Slippers)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dreaming-about-rotten-teeth/564093/15 "2010-12-15T11:06:00Z")
> [@Jenaroph](#): > > I had the “teeth going bad and then falling out” dream fairly regularly for much of my life. Then I had some teeth pulled and replaced with a partial. That was nearly 10 years ago and I haven’t had it since. In my case, my “teeth falling out” dream may have actually been about my teeth. This is close to my own experience. I’ve had dental problems most of my life, with teeth breaking or cracking. So when I had dreams about multiple teeth crumbling in my mouth, I always figured it was just an exaggeration of reality. But now that I’m down to only a few natural teeth, with the rest replaced by dentures, I hardly ever have these dreams. ---
**Author:** ![GiantRat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@GiantRat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GiantRat)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dreaming-about-rotten-teeth/564093/16 "2010-12-15T13:20:38Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > Why isn’t having ones _ic_ _uc_ed by a gaggle of college cheerleaders a common dream? (snip) Ummmm… I think I’ve had this one at least as often as the others. Being attacked by my own dog and not being able to pull the trigger to put him down, OTOH… man, I have that one more often, and it sucks. But not as the one about picking babies’ fingers out of a wall. The brain works in… stupid ways. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dreaming-about-rotten-teeth/564093/17 "2010-12-15T14:10:28Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > Why isn’t having ones _ic_ _uc_ed by a gaggle of college cheerleaders a common dream? I have that all the time. But after they tuck them into their outfits, they leave and I am left completely mouseless :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dreaming-about-rotten-teeth/564093/18 "2010-12-15T15:23:43Z")
I have nightmares about this, too. I always figured it was because my parents literally put a terror in me of losing my teeth. Everyone on my mother’s side lost their teeth really early. It was years before I figured out part of this was not just because they’d been raised with different standards but they’d also been raised in a country that didn’t put flouride in their drinking water. I also have the toilet dream - the dream in which I desperately have to go to a bathroom, but the only bathroom around is a gargantuan maze of toilets with little or no partitions, all really close, and men and women both sharing, and the whole place is filthy and disgusting and smells really bad. I have never had the “naked on a stage” dream, and though I did go to college and had the same fears about exams, I never had any of the exam dreams, that I remember. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dreaming-about-rotten-teeth/564093/19 "2010-12-15T16:58:16Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I also have the toilet dream - the dream in which I desperately have to go to a bathroom, but the only bathroom around is a gargantuan maze of toilets with little or no partitions, all really close, and men and women both sharing, and the whole place is filthy and disgusting and smells really bad. I have this one frequently. It’s always the same dimly lit stadium bathroom, but the buildings I’m in often have several of these. Dozens of stalls that have no doors or are too short and only go about mid-chest when standing, or rows of too-close urinals. Co-ed too, although I don’t have any recollection of the sanitary situation. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dreaming-about-rotten-teeth/564093/20 "2010-12-15T16:58:37Z")
I’ve had the tooth dream less frequently since I started getting the A-OK on my dental checkups. I sometimes have the variant in which my mouth is full of some substance that I try to clear by pulling it out, and I pull and pull and pull but whatever it is is endless. **Anaamika** , me, too on the toilet dream. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dreaming-about-rotten-teeth/564093.md?page=2)