Demi Moore says she recently ‘knocked out’ a tooth due to stress

Demi Moore, out promoting her role in the upcoming comedy Rough Night, appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Monday night and not only discussed the raunchy flick, she also shared what Jimmy dubbed “the most insane thing I’ve ever seen.”

During the interview, Jimmy showed a photo of the 54-year-old star missing her front tooth. When he asked how she lost it, Demi told him, “I sheared off my front teeth.” She jokingly lamented she didn’t lose her teeth as the result of “skateboarding or something really kind of like cool,” but due to stress. She added, “I think it’s really something that’s important to share because I think it’s, literally, probably after heart disease, one of the biggest killers in America which is stress.”

Not to let things get too heavy, Demi went on to describe the incident, telling Jimmy, “I literally just like knocked it out. It’s almost like it fell out and my warranty was up.” She also gave a shout out to the men and women of the dental field, declaring, “Thank God for modern dentistry.”

demi-moore-without-dentures-dfc07443-2914-45cc-8a43-9b78707f21b2

Demi told Jimmy that her kids with ex-hubby Bruce Willis, Rumer, Scout and Tallulah, like Mom’s imperfect smile, joking that, “My children love seeing me without my teeth because they think it makes me look more vulnerable and more human.”  

The actress also shared a video from the dentist’s office, where she was getting fitted for replacement teeth. She used a helium voice filter, which inspired Jimmy to conduct part of his interview with Demi as they were both sucking on balloons. Demi’s helium voice is hilarious.

This isn’t the first time Demi has had dental issues. Back in May of 2009, she posted selfies from the dentist office, where she was sporting a missing front tooth. On an October, 2010 appearance on Ellen DeGeneres’ talk show she explained the photos, saying that after a “bad bite” during an attempt to put a piece of gum in her mouth, she tensed up and knocked out her front tooth. She told Ellen, “I was sitting at my desk and I felt something drop and I caught it and looked down, and there was my tooth.” So now it’s stress: 2, Demi’s mouth: 0. And, teeth or no teeth, Demi looks amazing. I wasn’t planning on seeing Rough Night, but hearing that she plays half of a swinging couple and her on-screen husband is Modern Family’s Ty Burrell, I may have to check it out.

As a teeth grinder (and a person fueled by stress – and sugar-free Monster energy drinks), Demi’s tooth story is really kind of freaking me out. And I don’t have any dental insurance. Thanks for getting the word out, Demi. I think I’m digging out my mouth guard tonight.

Demi Moore, Demetrius Shipp Jr and Leslie Jones  during an appearance on NBC's 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.'

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"Rough Night" New York Premiere

Photos: Getty Images, WENN.com, Demi Moore

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58 Responses to “Demi Moore says she recently ‘knocked out’ a tooth due to stress”

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  1. Raina says:

    That’s gingivitis, not stress.

    • Belle Epoch says:

      Bingo! She’s either lying on purpose or an idiot. More to the story.

      • Rosalee says:

        No and I’ve got the partial plate to prove it. I’ve been grinding my teeth for decades. So far I’ve had 6 teeth removed or broken so badly they had to be removed. I’ve gone through 4 mouth guards..and they are expensive.

      • Sojaschnitzel says:

        What Rosalee said. I have been a teethgrinder for many years without knowing, and when I changed dentists and got that plastic thing to bite on at night (sorry don’t know the word, not a native english speaker – I guess it’s mouth guard?) I had already lost 2 beautiful teeth. Mine didn’t fall out though, they just got constantly infected and had to be pulled. But every body is different, so I don’t doubt her story.

      • Hazel says:

        Yeah, I’ve chipped four separate teeth from tooth grinding. Hooray for modern dentistry indeed.

      • Ange says:

        Yuuup. Two root canals and crowns later my dentist finally realised I was a grinder. I take beautiful care of my teeth, the first cavity I got at 28 was from grinding, not gingivitis or bad tooth care. Even with the mouth guard some mornings I wake up with terrible neck pain and a headache, all from grinding.

    • tmot says:

      Nitrous.

  2. jannab says:

    she looks really good in that first and last picture. surprisingly good!

    • DeniseMich says:

      It must cost 1000s of dollars a month to keep her looking like that.

      She has looked 35-42 for a long time.

  3. Velvet Elvis says:

    What in the actual hell….how does a tooth just drop out due to stress?

    • Alix says:

      It doesn’t!

    • isabelle says:

      They can actually. My mother went through a horrific event in her life and afterwards she lost most of her teeth. Had to wear dentures most of her life. After she had to go through an exhausting trial to convict the man who ultimately was sentenced for life, her body deteriorated. Everything from her skin to her teeth were effected. Until the day she passed away she always looked 10 years older, she believed the high stress had even effected her collagen and hormonal glands. Her gums loosened and her teeth literally began to fall out after the event and trial. She had perfectly healthy teeth up to that point and she was only in her 20s. High stress is a killer to the body and can effect every aspect of it. Will say Demi probably hasn’t experienced what my mom experienced.

    • Ariel says:

      Yeah, just chiming in here that after my very surprising/abrupt divorce, a tooth with a short root got so wobbly that it would have eventually just fallen out if I hadn’t gotten grossed out by it and gotten it removed (and am now almost done with a tooth implant process — OY!). Stress does crazy things to your body.

  4. nemera34 says:

    Take care of your teeth.. this from someone that has had to have Many root canals. Demi looks good. Her hair just looks too dark too dyed dark maybe. no variation of color tones.

    Weird looking at the group picture. Everyone is touching each other except Demi. NO one is touching her and she is not touching them.

  5. astrid says:

    Not buying the stress story-poor diet, drugs, gum disease?

    • Tata says:

      I think so too, a combo of factors, including genetics.

      The only people i know who lost teeth were my mom and grandparents. We think they lost teeth due to severe food insecurity when young. So sure, stress, but your body needs food, nutrition to first build and then maintain teeth.

      I think Demi is known for juice cleansing, and all that GOOP foolery (low carb vegan, etc) that masks an eating disorder in rich ladies? And then there are also undiagnosed illnesses that can destroy your teeth.

    • QQ says:

      That’s where Im at.. Like ….Stress?? not drugs and poor oral hygiene?

  6. Honey says:

    If stress can cause a tooth to fall out, I’d have an empty mouth

  7. Clara says:

    This beautiful woman may be suffering from the long-term effects of drug abuse, which is common for people that have suffered childhood trauma. She had admittingly had a cocaine problem in the 80’s and she never stopped drinking or using drugs. Demi was smoking K2 at nearly 50-years-old, which is known to cause devastating violence and psychotic breaks in its users. I am wondering what other drugs have contributed to her dental problems.

    • Rose says:

      Yes i’m not buying the stress thing either. Amy Winehouse lost a tooth too due to crack. Long time eating disorders can really damage teeth too.

      • Liv says:

        Her former Brat Pack co-member, Charlie Sheen has lost most of his teeth to whatever drug cocktails he is on and reportedly just has removeable dentures now.

  8. phaedra says:

    Demi has always been full of it. Years ago a beauty mag asked for her beauty tips: “I moisturize and drink lots of water,” which is code for: Botox. In this instance, “stress” is code for “METH.” Meth makes your teeth fall out of your head. Stress does not.

  9. Lethul says:

    Dentist here. Sounds like periodontitis possibly exacerbated by stress. Stress alone does not make teeth fall out.

  10. Va Va Kaboom says:

    Ack! Having a tooth randomly fall out has been a recurring nightmare, albeit an innocuous one, of mine for decades. I’m so disturbed to hear it can actually happen.

    • Esmom says:

      I have a recurring tooth nightmare, too! In my case, I bite down and all my teeth just shatter and it feels like I have sharp gravel in my mouth. Horrible.

      • Alleycat says:

        I’ve read that means you’re stressing out about money (aren’t we all)!!!

      • Nancy says:

        Esmon, I used to have the teeth falling out nightmare as well. I dreamed it one night years ago and the next morning the bristles of my toothbrush started to fall out. Night terrors. So I looked in a dream book and it revealed loss of teeth meant death…..not necessarily of a person, but a relationship, job, anything. After I researched it, I never had the teeth nightmare again. I once heard if you talked out loud to someone about a nightmare, it wouldn’t recur, this has been the case for me.

      • Diana B says:

        I always dream my teeth fall out and in a panic I try to put them back but they are too big for mu gums and then I just cry and cry for my missing teeth. It’s horrible.

      • Esmom says:

        Dreams are crazy. Nancy, I managed to fend off a horrible and very realistic nightmare, I think, by talking about it to my friend. In it, I was shot in the head and I couldn’t call out for help and could feel my head caving in. The next time it happened, a couple months later, I managed to somehow tell myself during the dream that I was dreaming and I stopped it. And I haven’t had it again since.

    • Hazel says:

      I think that’s interpreted as fear of aging.

  11. Melibea says:

    She could be suffering from an eating disorder, I’m a recovered bulimic with anorexic tendencies and ever since I’m practically living at the dentist office due to all my problems.

  12. lizzie says:

    poor dental care as a child can also contribute to issues with teeth. my mom never saw a dentist as a child and she has had about every tooth in her head replaced. no one brushes or flosses more diligently but its too late if the roots develop poorly. my MIL is a dental hygienist and she said that most people get all their cavities in their 20’s and then after your 40’s – you are just combating them rotting out of your head. sometimes it happens earlier in life , sometimes it happens later but eventually if you live long enough – your teeth will fall out.

  13. julies29 says:

    I have had 4 teeth break off. Never used drugs, smoked and i have always brushed well. Dentist tells me it is genetic. My mom had dentures at 18 and recounts a similar experience. I am now 40 and getting my teeth pulled for dentures.

    • Beth says:

      I’ve brushed and flossed and taken good care of my teeth all of my life. Never smoked and I only drink water. Both sides of my family have weak teeth and my dentist also said it’s genetic and that’s my problem. Old fillings are falling out and lost a few teeth (towards the back) and now at 39, I’ll probably just get the rest pulled and get dentures

      • isabelle says:

        Can’t remember which study but there was a study on people that didn’t brush their teeth or they made them stop brushing their teeth. Some subjects who stopped brushing their teeth had the same healthy mouths as those with impressive oral hygiene. Genetics is a factor for sure.

  14. Esmom says:

    I’m a tooth grinder, too, and the most I’ve done is chip a tiny corner off one of my bottom front teeth. I can’t see how whole teeth would just fall out unless there were some serious underlying issues.

    About 10 years ago I had some gum recession that my dentist said could be stopped and even reversed a little by flossing religiously. She actually scared the bejeezus out of me, saying that if I didn’t start flossing more the recession would get worse and eventually my bottom teeth would just fall out. I literally have not skipped a say of flossing since…and the gum recession hasn’t gotten any worse.

  15. Ann says:

    Ack! Corey, I grind my teeth too. I hate my mouth guard and I’m so bad about wearing it. But I’ll use it tonight, too! We should have a mouth guard support group.

  16. Who ARE these people? says:

    I understand grinding the molars due to stress but a front tooth?

  17. Lotal says:

    Doesn’t she have veneers and they can fall out???

    • NellBell says:

      Veneers are layers of porcelain laid over a real tooth to make it whiter and nicely shaped. Demi likely has implants which are fake teeth attached to a metal post surgically screwed into your jaw bone and I would imagine they could break off due to injury or grinding.

      • tracking says:

        Yeah, this was what I was thinking. These weren’t normal healthy teeth that fell out. They were either the filed down little nubs (surely weakened by the procedure) veneers are attached to, or implants.

  18. Wellsie says:

    Can’t wait for my tooth related anxiety dream tonight! Thanks Demi!

  19. NellBell says:

    I grind my teeth and cracked a molar so bad it had to be pulled. I also cracked one of my front teeth and had to have cosmetic bonding done (too poor for veneers 😕). I do not do drugs and have always had nice strong teeth. Not saying Demi isn’t an addict as well as a teeth grinder but you can break a tooth from grinding. Anxiety is no joke my friends. It can screw you up in all kinds of ways.

  20. Eribra says:

    I grind my teeth – even when I’m awake I’ll suddenly notice my jaw clenched and starting to grind. So far I’ve lost one molar-dentist says combined tooth grinding and old metal filling which can expand over time, weakening your tooth. I have never been able to sleep in a mouth guard, at 44,I can’t believe I’ve only lost one tooth. I know I’ll be in dentures eventually. Stress,habit,I can totally see this.

    • NellBell says:

      Eribra – I can’t sleep with a mouth guard either. It sucks because I am sure I will lose more as well and can’t afford implants. I don’t get why implants are considered cosmetic. Teeth are pretty crucial to chewing food! One of the many things back-assward about health care in the US.

    • prettylights says:

      @erinbra @nellbell I clench/grind, mostly at night but sometimes during the day too. It got to the point where I had some extremely sensitive teeth on the lower right of my mouth and I thought I cracked one but X-Rays showed nothing. I couldn’t even eat on that side. For years my dentist was telling me that if I didn’t get a mouth guard I’d have the teeth of a 50 year old at 35 and have them ground down to practically nothing when I was 50+ (I’m 32). I finally caved and got one and it’s been a lifesaver! No more sensitivity, and I couldn’t believe how after only a few months there were already deep grooves and signs of wear on my mouth guard. Made me really realize how bad my clenching/grinding is and all the damage I was doing to my teeth. It did take some getting used to but now I pretty much can’t sleep without it! Maybe try it again and see if you can learn to sleep with one because it really does help.

      • Eribra says:

        I revisit them every so often- I am a total mouth breather when I sleep due to some chronic sinus issues. The guard makes me feel like I can’t breathe and if I do fall asleep, I usually wake up choking. I do wish implants were better covered with insurance, 20 years in geriatrics had shown me dentures are not the best option.

      • Shiba says:

        I finally adapted to a night guard, after a horrible abscess (grinding caused a cavity in my tooth – could have died); sudden gross swelling took 10 days to subside. Grinding is an undiagnosed silent epidemic.

  21. tracking says:

    She just comes across as a hot mess. I find it strange. She’s absolutely gorgeous, had a fabulous career, has three beautiful children, is wealthy as all get out. Why can’t girlfriend count her blessings and chill?

  22. serena says:

    If there’s Ty Burrell in it, I’m sold! He’s adorable!

  23. HoustonGrl says:

    I didn’t have dental insurance for years, and only recently got a good plan which gave me a chance to get caught up on xrays, cleanings and fillings (I had several). Tooth health is one of the things I also constantly stressed about but the good news is modern dentistry is pretty great, as she put it. Just make sure you don’t go to a hack! Some dentists are like a sketchy jeweler.

  24. Littlestar says:

    My first shattered tooth occurred at 15, I’m now 28 and have subsequently lost an additional two teeth to sudden shattering. Two bottom molars and a top one behind the canine. I didn’t have good dental hygiene as a kid or teen but I feel like my case is still so extreme. My only guess is that my anxiety that started when I was ten and caused me to regularly throw up from anxiety/stress until I was 16-17 had a lot to do with it.

  25. april says:

    After having three crowns many years ago, I said that’s enough of spending all of this money on crowns and time in the dentist chair, so I brush when I get up and at night brush and floss each day religiously. I’ve had perfect teeth, except for one cavity since. This has been for 20 years. I also eat a very clean diet. I use a natural-based mouthwash occasionally. My siblings do not take care of their teeth like I do, nor eat as clean as I do and are constantly having major, expensive dental work. The prime thing to do is to floss every night before bed. Flossing every night before bed is recommended by almost every dentist. My dentist office always has the sign up “floss only the teeth you want to keep,” and that is so true. I don’t believe it is all genetics, you also have to put in the work of decreasing sugar and healthier eating.