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

Hillbilly Dude Says...

I've heard 'my back teeth are floatin’' plenty here in the South. If I ever get over to England, I might here it there, too.

Hillbilly Dude Says...

I've heard 'my back teeth are floatin’' plenty here in the South. If I ever get over to England, I might here it there, too.

Pronunciation

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

Meaning & Usage

- Need to urinate urgently (humorous exaggeration)

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.

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, November 2). 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, 2 Nov. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/southernish/my-back-teeth-are-floating.
Chicago (17th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. "My Back Teeth Are Floating." HillbillySlang.com. November 2, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/southernish/my-back-teeth-are-floating.