Nightmares

I have a reoccurring nightmare. In it, I'm doing something normal - or normal for dream-time, at least - and then all of a sudden, I notice that I have a loose tooth. I wiggle the tooth a bit, like a kid eager for the tooth fairy, only I'm not eager. I'm terrified - I'm an adult here, I shouldn't have loose teeth - what's wrong with me? Eventually, the tooth is not only loose, it's hanging on by a thread. And, as luck would have it, it's right in the front of my mouth so I just know I'm going to be walking around like a gap-tooth. Finally, the tooth falls out and I'm am just a wreck. As I despair, I realize something else --- the rest of my teeth are loose too! And then I wake up (thank goodness).

here

Isn't that the weirdest dream? It have it fairly regularly, with all kinds of variations and scenarios. Last night, something had happened to damage my mouth - I had fallen or been hit, so my face was puffy and hurt before the teeth started falling out.

But you want to know the weirdest part? This is a really common dream. According to Dr. Oz, it's one of the five most common reoccurring dreams. So while my nightmares might not be very original, they are at least very well analyzed on the internet.

Clearly, with all the scientific (hah) dream analysis out there, you can find a lot of interpretations for the "Teeth Falling Out" dream. Find my analysis of these theories, below.

• Age: I could be worrying about age. Teeth, and losing teeth, are very associated with the aging process. Valid? Maybe. I have found 3 grey hairs this month, with was very distressing. 
• Communication: I could be worried about something I've said - lies I've told, gossip I've spread, just plain bitchy things I've said. Valid? Eh, not really. I don't lie much - have never been any good at it. I don't feel bad about gossip - it's human nature, right? And I've actually been a pretty nice girl this week :). 
• Dealing with issues: Am I refusing to deal with an issue, or in contrast, working too hard to resolve issues? Valid? Maybe - I have a lot of decisions to make (wedding, grad school, work, etc.) so maybe I am feel a bit overworked and overwhelmed by those.
• Survival: Teeth are necessary for eating and defending oneself, so I may be feeling like I'm not taking care of my body. Valid? Nope, I've been a nutrition and fitness goddess lately, so I'm not worried about that.

So, conclusion? I think it's stress. That's the medical answer for about every physical and mental ailment these days, right? It might just be the idea of trying on a bunch of big, poofy, white dresses this weekend ....

But at least there was a silver lining in last night's dream - one I never remember having before. When my tooth fell out, a found a shiny, brand new tooth in it's place ...