Last night I had a dream that my teeth had moved; they had spread out, and it appeared that I had too much room in my mouth and not enough teeth. When I tried to move them back into place, the two front teeth did not fit together (the tooth on the right was shaped in a very rounded way, unlike the others). I was shocked and frightened that my teeth were so loose that they would move around so easily; I feared they would fall out if I moved them too much. I was upset with my childhood orthodontist for not permanently fixing my teeth. I was in a public place, maybe a hotel lounge, and asked for a phone book. I looked up a restorative dental office and called to be seen immediately; they could not fit me in for an appointment. When I hung up the phone in frustration, the person who gave me the phone book told me that it was usual to not be able to get an appointment there; we both agreed the office was 'unprofessional' and 'mean'. Somehow an ethnic woman and man (wife and husband?) appeared and both agreed to help me with my teeth; I wanted to give them my business. They began working with their hands with tools. I found my old retainer at some point and placed it in my mouth; it fit, and I became less concerned with my teeth. Then the dream becomes more difficult to remember- it was no longer about my teeth but about something else (very blurry to me this morning). Somehow I was in the presence of many people from the same unknown ethnicity of the man and woman that were helping me. I am not sure if I felt uncomfortable because the men were being overly aggressive in a sexual way, but there was definitely some discomfort with one, or a few of, the men. The dream is completely foggy from that point on, but I feel that in the ethnic 'gathering' there were some marginalized people (possibly the women or young girls?) that were similarly uncomfortable.

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 27; Iowa

Have You Posted Before? Date of Last Post {Use Search and Your Post Name to Help Find Last Post} Female

Hi Angie

I think this dream has to do with something that occurred in childhood that you thought was fixed - probably in both senses ie: immovable/ permanent and corrected. Or something that you thought you had fixed and now it is asking to be addressed. It may be a childhood attitude or a view that you have had since childhood.

You seem afraid that if it moves again things will fall apart.

Have you been been trying to address a problem (perhaps unconsciously) but it is not happening as soon as you would like?
Perhaps you have given up in frustration - but the issue still needs to be addressed.

The final part of you post suggests it has to do with the masculine - could this be something to do with your attitude towards men? is is due to something in your childhood?

If you can think about what I have written and feel it there are any issues that seem to 'click' with the interpretation then it is probably worth looking at - if you reply perhaps we can look at the dream further.
The key issue is, 'what do the teeth mean for you'?

Let us know
Justin

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: Brisbane Australia 47

Have You Posted Before? Date of Last Post {Use Search and Your Post Name to Help Find Last Post} M

Justin,

Thank you for the comments.

I definitely feel connected to what you said about permanance, about feeling anxiety over something I thought would not change. That could be many issues- giving into love (sacrificing freedom and independence); feeling that I can change people/situations or at least have strong influence on them; the list could go on and on. I remember in my dream thinking about something I had read about Traditional Chinese Medicine (reading the physical characteristics of the body as clues to navigate your ying/yang activity) where a person with a space in their front teeth will not be present when their parents die; I remember feeling very disturbed by this due to my love for travel (usually overseas). I remember thinking that my teeth would have had a space if not for having braces.
I am interested in a few details- 1) why did it mean so much to me that the woman who gave me the phone book agreed with me? Is that a need for approval? 2) what does the ethnic couple represent? Could they be my wiser self? I wonder if the sexual tension in the dream relates not so much to sexuality but to gender roles (while I am an independent woman functioning in society, I am also affected by traditional gender role expectations and the barriers they place on me) or maybe it is about sex...I don't know. I wonder if the masculinity in the dream represents my authoritative self. There is so much possibility there. Anyway, thank you for your help:)

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 27; Iowa

Have You Posted Before? Date of Last Post {Use Search and Your Post Name to Help Find Last Post} Female

Hi Angie

I would like to consider your response more before replying to the Q's in it.

Thank you very much for replying ,,, the site is about mutual learning, and if the dream interpretations are not useful to the dreamer then it is worth looking at other meanings. It is really important that the meaning slicks for the dreamer not others.

I have given more thought to the meaning of 'teeth' in dreams - teeth are in our head (our rational aspect); they emerge from bone through into another environemnt ,,, the watery mouth and are also exposed to air ,, so in a sense they span the three (worldly?) realms. They are also incredibly sensitive ,,, are prone to decay etc ...

the dream dictionaries are not very insightful or helpful whan it comes to teeth ,,,, what do you think -

JC

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: Brisbane Australia 47

Have You Posted Before? Date of Last Post {Use Search and Your Post Name to Help Find Last Post} M

I think dream dictionaries have been very helpful; it's just that they are generalized, and I feel like this dream has details that seem very important (that I just can't figure out). Your interpretation/comments really inspired me to think about the dream and really helped identify a starting point for that; I think definitely the comments hit a lot of points that are true. My questions just came out of the interpretation.

Thank you so much:)

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 27; Iowa

Have You Posted Before? Date of Last Post {Use Search and Your Post Name to Help Find Last Post} Female

Hi Angie

Jung says, and it seems to be so, that dreams have at least two meanings - most simply there is likely a message relating to our outer, waking world and a message / comment on our inner world - so expect to keep peeling away the meanings over time ,,, part of the fun I guess

As I re-read your post - it is interesting that you re-fitted your old retainer ,,, sonsidering what a retainer is intended to prevent, it may ne worth considering what it is that you have done this too. (Retainers prevent things slipping back the way they were ,,, which depending on one's perspective, could be the 'natural order' of things).

In regard to you Qs:
"1) why did it mean so much to me that the woman who gave me the phone book agreed with me? Is that a need for approval? "
Maybe so, the Q is who or what the woman represents. One clue is that it is a feminine energy or principl; other clues may be her age, resemblance to someone in waking life;

"2) what does the ethnic couple represent? Could they be my wiser self?"
You state that they were 'ethinic' from which I assume they were darker skin colour than yourself ,,,, in which case they could represent shadow aspects, or hidden aspects. The tools they use and the help they give may suggest that they are instincts helping you ,,, in the shadows ?
I think this issue of 'ethnic' is worth considering further ,,, it is in the title of your post as well ,,,, mmmm

3 "I wonder if the sexual tension in the dream relates not so much to sexuality but to gender roles (while I am an independent woman functioning in society, I am also affected by traditional gender role expectations and the barriers they place on me) or maybe it is about sex...I don't know. I wonder if the masculinity in the dream represents my authoritative self. There is so much possibility there"
yes this could be so, it is up to you to feel this out. Most of us have been brought up in a patriarchial schema and the tension may be you frustration with this ,,, consider your attitudes to sex, what you feel is expected of you and how you interact - and once again, there are likely to be multiple levels of meaning. It seems that as our own insight expands, we can 'see' more ,,,


Justin

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: Brisbane Australia 47

Have You Posted Before? Date of Last Post {Use Search and Your Post Name to Help Find Last Post} M

Hi Angie

Your questions were good ones and this is just how the process goes - through gentle reflection and inquiry we (re)-learn how to interpret what the dreams are telling us

well done
JC

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: Brisbane Australia 47

Have You Posted Before? Date of Last Post {Use Search and Your Post Name to Help Find Last Post} M