The nightmare of teeth falling out, the real culprit was "teeth grinding"—The mystery of dreams and the body unraveled by science

The nightmare of teeth falling out, the real culprit was "teeth grinding"—The mystery of dreams and the body unraveled by science

2025年06月15日 02:13

1. At 2 a.m., your teeth shatter—a terrifyingly realistic experience

"I woke up to the sensation of my mouth full of teeth shattering and falling into my palm."
Such experiences are not uncommon. A search for on Yahoo! Real-Time Search yields over 100 posts in 24 hours, with cries like and being posted repeatedlysearch.yahoo.co.jp.


2. News from Brazil: "It wasn't just a superstition!" Science proves it

An article from Brazil's InfoMoney dated June 14 introduced the latest research while contrasting this nightmare with the old saying of it being a "harbinger of death"infomoney.com.br. The article cites a 2018 paper by Rosen & Soffer-Dudek from Israel's Ben-Gurion University.


3. The "Body Sensation Theory" suggested by a survey of 210 people

  • Subjects: 210 undergraduate students

  • Method:

    1. Self-reporting of recent dream themes

    2. Assessment of discomfort in teeth, jaw, and gums upon waking

    3. Measurement of anxiety, depression scales, and sleep quality

  • Results: Dreams of losing teeth were significantly correlated with "tension in teeth and jaw," but not with anxiety or depression scoresfrontiersin.org.

In other words, the classic image of is scientifically weakly supported.


4. Why does "discomfort in teeth" appear in dreams?

  1. Misalignment Theory of Sensory Receptors

    • Pressure sensation from the periodontal ligament and temporomandibular joint projects to the cortex during REM sleep → converted into visual images

  2. Teeth grinding (Sleep Bruxism)

    • Teeth shake with a biting force of up to 250 kg/cm², and the brain misinterprets it as "teeth are broken"

  3. Mild pain sensation from dry mouth or toothache

    • Pain tends to make sleep shallower, making it easier to become conscious of it as a dream

Explanations from sources like PsyPost also conclude with a "physical stimulus dominance" perspectivepsypost.org.

Teeth → Brain → Stress → Oral Stimulation

 


5. Cultural Lens: How do Japanese people perceive it?

  • Psychology and Dream Interpretation Faction

    • Forbes JAPAN "Symbolizing Loss of Confidence and Life Stage Changes"forbesjapan.com

    • TABI LABO "56 Pattern Analysis of 'Life Turning Points'"tabi-labo.com

  • Scientific Faction

    • Nazology's explanatory article reports research results and points out "inflammation of teeth as the main cause rather than mental factors"nazology.kusuguru.co.jp


6. Real Voices Swirling on SNS

Post Examples (Summary)Notes
"Dream of losing teeth twice a week... health check was the worst, so scary"Posted on 6/13
"Husband dreamed 'all teeth fell out but pushed them back'"Posted on 6/14
"Haven't seen it in a while, but felt terrible"Posted on 6/8

It is characterized by polarization between those who are in the "bad omen according to dream interpretation" faction and those who are in the "just real and scary" faction.


7. Three Self-Care Tips Recommended by Experts

CareMethodExpected Effects
MouthpieceCreate a Night Guard for Sleeping at the DentistAlleviates over 90% of the impact of teeth grinding
Pre-sleep Stretching & Diaphragmatic Breathing30 minutes before sleeping, static stretching → inhale for 5 seconds, exhale for 10 seconds ×10Regulates autonomic nerves and stabilizes REM sleep
Caffeine & Alcohol RestrictionAvoid after 4 hours before sleepingSuppresses shallow sleep and bruxism


8. Protecting Teeth with Clues from Dreams

Dreams are not just brain dramas, but a "quiet SOS" from the body.
On mornings after dreaming of losing teeth, check if ① your jaw feels tense, ② your teeth feel loose, or ③ there are bite marks on your tongue or cheeks. If abnormalities persist, consider occlusal adjustment or stress counseling at the dentist.


9. Conclusion—Between Superstition and Science

  • Research supports the "biological sensation > stress theory"

  • Interest in "dream fortune-telling" remains strong on Japanese social media

  • Ignoring real dental issues will make the dream no longer silent

Before your "dream teeth" fall out, protect your real teeth. This is the shortest route to turning this nightmare into a fortunate "early warning."


Appendix: References and Sources

← Back to Article List