It’s easy to understand why so many of us want to know exactly where our dreams come from and precisely what they mean. After all, the average person spends approximately one-third of their life sleeping—or at least trying to, according to a study in the National Library of Medicine. What’s more, the practice of understanding not only what our dreams mean – but what they say about us — dates back centuries.
Among the most common dreams people have are scenarios in which you’re falling or unexpectedly finding yourself being naked in public. However, did you know the second most common dream for women is about your teeth falling out? According to a recent survey by Amerisleep, 31.9% of women have this dream regularly, making it the second most common (right behind being chased). Certainly, it’s not the most pleasant dream to have, and it may leave you wondering why the heck you’re waking up from a toothless reverie all the time.
If you’re having dreams about your teeth falling out, take comfort in the fact that you’re not alone. While this dream is most often linked with anxiety, we spoke to a dream expert and psychologist to find out exactly what it means to dream about your teeth falling out—and how you can make it stop.
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You might be feeling anxious or stressed
If you’ve been feeling the pressure at work or in another area of your life lately (be it your romantic relationship or your home set-up) and it’s causing you undue anxiety, this could be the root cause of you dreaming about your teeth falling out.
“Dreaming about your teeth falling out is believed to be a symbolic manifestation of psychological distress – and dreams about teeth are more common in people suffering from anxiety,” says Manuela Schmitten, a psychologist at Inner Space Psychology. “If you find teeth – or a lack thereof – are appearing frequently in your dreams and it’s causing you to feel a sense of unease or concern, speak to your doctor or a mental health professional about your worries.”
You might be dealing with an actual loss
It makes sense that dreaming about losing your teeth could be related to a loss in your waking life, so it will come as no surprise that if you dream about your teeth falling out, this could mean you’ve recently experienced a deep, personal loss.
Inbaal Honigman, a celebrity psychic and dreams expert, notes that this could pertain to anything from a breakup or divorce to losing something more specific and tangible.
“Dreaming about your teeth falling out often indicates that you’re dealing with a loss in real life, and this could be anything from an unexpected job loss to the unexpected end of a relationship,” says Honigman.
You might be undergoing a big change in your life
Teeth falling out in your dreams can also be associated with a big and important life change. Have you moved to a new city recently? Started a new job? Left a long-term relationship?
If so, any of these scenarios might go a long way to explaining why you’re dreaming about your teeth falling out. “As per the renowned psychiatrist Carl Jung’s school of thinking, teeth falling out represents a rebirth or transformation,” says Schmitten. “In the same way your teeth fall out as a child, soon after, you grow your adult teeth. This way, losing your teeth in a dream may not be a bad omen, but rather, a sign of personal growth or positive change.”
Once you recognize the real-life trigger for your toothless dreams, you can address it and work through it, and likely, the dreams will cease. If not, like Schmitten suggests, talk it out with your doctor, therapist, or a licensed mental health professional.
