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My Back Teeth Are Floating

My back teeth are floating is a Southernish saying meaning I need to pee very badly. It’s a funny, exaggerated image that shows up in rural talk across the English-speaking world, not just the South.

#Southernish  

synonyms: I gotta pee, bursting, dying for the loo, full bladder

Pronunciation

[MAH back TEETH’r FLOHT-in] /maɪ bæk tiːθ ə ˈfloʊtɪn/

Meaning & Usage

- Need to urinate urgently (humorous exaggeration)

Everyday use
Earl:
You ready to head out?

Clint:
In a minute-my back teeth’re floatin’.

variations: my back teeth are floatin’, my back molars are swimmin’

Origin

The expression dates to the mid-20th century and appears in both British and American slang. It likely began as a humorous exaggeration of having a full bladder-so full it might make your molars float. The phrase spread through working-class and rural speech on both sides of the Atlantic, making it a shared bit of English wit rather than a strictly Southern creation.

Verdict: Southernish. Common across the English-speaking world, but a natural fit in Southern humor.

Notes

  • Used in the U.S., U.K., Ireland, and Australia with the same meaning.
  • Typical of pub talk, rural humor, and light-hearted conversation.
  • Fits right in with Southern exaggerations and down-home phrasing.
  • Best viewed as a shared English idiom adopted into Southern speech.

Related Pages

Common Questions

What does "my back teeth are floating" mean?
It means "I need to pee really bad."
Is it a Southern saying?
Not originally-it’s used across English-speaking countries, though it sounds right at home in the South.
Where did it come from?
Likely mid-20th-century British or American humor describing a bladder so full it’d make your teeth float.
Do people still use it?
Yes-both Southerners and folks overseas use it jokingly in casual conversation.

How to Cite This Page

  • APA (7th edition)
    The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, October 19). My Back Teeth Are Floating. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/southernish/my-back-teeth-are-floating
  • MLA (9th edition)
    "The Hillbilly Dude." "My Back Teeth Are Floating." HillbillySlang.com, 19 Oct. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/southernish/my-back-teeth-are-floating.
  • Chicago (17th edition)
    The Hillbilly Dude. "My Back Teeth Are Floating." HillbillySlang.com. October 19, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/southernish/my-back-teeth-are-floating.
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