According to a 2018 study in the journal Frontiers in Psychology1, 39% of respondents reported that they had experienced teeth dreams at least once. Researchers looked at the possibility that this dream could relate to both dental issues and psychological distress, but no clear answer was found. This could be because dreams don’t necessarily have just one meaning. According to psychologist and dream expert Rubin Naiman, Ph.D., interpreting a dream is more about assessing the emotion that its symbolism evokes in you. It’s more personal than it is literal. That said, here are five common interpretations of what the popular “teeth falling out” dream could mean: “When people are having repeated dreams, it’s really important to address them,” he says. “There’s an old saying from the Talmud that says, ‘A dream unexamined is like a letter unopened.’ So, it’s important to open that letter…attend to it, sit with the dream, and associate with it.” The next time you have a teeth dream, you can ask yourself questions such as: What does it feel like? What emotion does it bring up? Does it bring up any memories? In doing so, Naiman says you can help the dream interpret itself: “Often there’s a notion locked behind it and when they can interpret the dream, it helps digest it.” If you’re really struggling to make sense of the dream and it’s bothering you, Naiman says you can also consider talking with a psychologist who is open to discussing dreams and their meanings. In the meantime, looking closely at the emotions that any and all dreams bring up can help you learn from them—and maybe take a peek into your subconscious, too.
