Teeth
Linda Dion
March 18, 2023
Have you ever had a dream where your teeth are falling out or you look in the mirror and to your utter surprise, your teeth are dirty, crooked or broken? It's quite jarring, isn't it, but if you have, know that this is not unusual! Teeth are one of those universal symbols and are right up there in the top 20 dream symbols.
The basic meaning of this symbol is "comprehension", "understanding" or "pondering"
When we eat, we use our teeth to chew and break down our food so that it can be used more efficiently by our digestive system in order to provide nutrition for our entire body.
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We do the same thing somewhat with our thoughts. For example, when someone proposes a new idea, concept or strategy, we will often reply, "Well, let me chew on that for a while and I'll let you know how it all sits with me." What we are really saying is that we need time to think in order to understand what is being presented to us. We need to mentally "break things down" into smaller pieces so that we can come to a deeper understanding of the idea that is being put before us.
Let's have a look now at some of the particular issues the Lord can be bringing to our attention through a dream on the health of our teeth.
Do you find yourself with a broken tooth? The Lord would be pointing out a problem with your ability to understand some spiritual truth because there's something in your mental process that is broken down or flawed and therefore not functioning properly. He would be warning you that through a certain train of thought your conclusion about a matter would be in error.
Are your teeth crooked? This would mean that your understanding isn't accurate and that you need to make some adjustments in order to bring it back under God's "alignment". Maybe the dream shows that you are wearing braces. In that case, the Lord would be pointing out the problem (that the teeth are crooked) as well as the solution (how to straighten out the teeth). Once our thought processes are in alignment with God's truths, a positive outcome is usually sure to follow. There could also be a play on words about needing to "brace" or "shore" things up in your thinking as well as an intimation that this is a long term process. We can get a tooth filled in an hour or so, but braces are worn for a long time.
What about losing teeth altogether? This would mean that the Lord is trying to show you that you are losing your ability to understand or discern some truth or issue in your life or that there is a growing inability to do so. If you were looking in the mirror while this was going on, then it would mean that your lack of understanding around an issue is affecting the way you see and value yourself. But what if the opposite were to happen? What if you were looking in the mirror and saw a tooth growing? This would be a happy indicator that you're definitely growing in comprehension and discernment!
If your teeth are dirty this would mean that there is a need for cleansing in your discernment process or your understanding. If you're brushing your teeth, the Lord might simply be telling you that you are on the right track and that you're doing everything in your power to keep everything "clean" in your relationship with Him.
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And if you look in the mirror and see that your teeth are white and clean, this would mean that the Holy Spirit is keeping your understanding clean, pure and undefiled.
Sometimes the Lord will point to a particular tooth that serves to highlight a particular kind of understanding:
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Eyeteeth (or canines) for example are related to the ability to "see correctly". They speak of vision, perception or revelation.
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Wisdom teeth would relate to your ability to comprehend issues of wisdom.
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Incisors would be related to your decision-making abilities.
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Finally, there is once again the possibility of word plays such as "biting off more than you can chew", "having a sweet tooth", "I got my teeth knocked out", "fight tooth and nail", "I'd give my eyetooth for that", etc.
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God wants us to live a happy and fulfilled life and in order for that to happen, one of the supports we need is the ability to discern, to think clearly according to His precepts, and to make wise decisions. So if the Lord ever gives you a dream about the condition of your teeth, you can trust that such a warning dream is for your good. It will help you make the adjustments necessary in your thinking and understanding, which will then be of great benefit to yourself and your family. I myself have had a few teeth dreams over the years and they have been a real blessing in my spiritual life.