The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word GRINDER
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
G
R
I
N
D
E
R
More clues leading to the result GRINDER
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "tooth" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case tooth = grinder.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does GRINDER mean?
GRINDER noun- One who grinds something, such as the teeth.
- (anatomical) A molar.
- A power tool with a spinning abrasive disc, used for grinding, smoothing, and shaping materials, usually metal.
- A sandwich made on a long, cylindrical roll.
- A kitchen gadget for processing coffee, herbs etc. into small or powdered pieces
- The restless flycatcher (Myiagra inquieta) of Australia, which makes a noise like a scissors grinder.
- A fan or performer of grindcore music.
- A biohacker who uses cybernetic implants or biochemicals to enhance or change their own body.
- A student who studies hard; a swot.
- A person who coaches students for an upcoming examination.
- (ice hockey slang) A hard-working, physical player with limited offensive ability.
- A low-ranking attorney with no clients who works very hard.
- An outdoor space for drills and parades.