Smile!

I woke up at 4:00 this morning, after a very disturbing dream in which all of my teeth fell out. It started with one of my front teeth, and before I knew it, I was standing over a bathroom sink in some strange house I've never seen, with my teeth just falling out of my mouth. I was trying to save them all, in the hopes that a dentist might be able to put them back, but they were falling out of my hands and seeming to go all over the place.

Finally, still in this horrid dream, a voice said, "Megan, you're dreaming. Wake up, you're dreaming. This isn't real."

And I woke up.

Needless to say, I was wide awake and rubbing my tongue over my pearly whites.

I have a great smile (so I'm told, often). My teeth are healthy, and they're pretty straight, aside from the slightest gap in my front teeth (which was there when the braces came off and no, I don't plan to fix it, ever). I've had my share of wear and tear but my mouth is healthy, and I know my smile is one of the best parts of my face.

I was awake, but not ready to get up by any means, so at about 5:30, I reached for my Kindle and logged on to the internet to Google "dream interpretations." The first two sites I came across told me that because I had dreamed about losing all of my teeth, I would soon have a huge disaster in my life.

What?

At 5:30 in the morning, with the brain cells still moving in slow-motion, I was a little freaked out. Then, finally, I remembered one crucial point: dreams are not premonitions, they're our brain's way of sorting out our thoughts, our insecurities, our worries and everything else.

Just now, I went back to Google and found the following, from Dream Doctor:

Losing one's teeth is a common dream reflecting concerns about one's physical and social appearances, and effectiveness in a competitive environment. If you think about it, your pearly whites are a big part of your smile, and your smile is a big part of your attractiveness and appearance. A smile can be an indication to a potential mate to continue his or her seduction. A smile lets other people know whether you're happy or sad. Is it any surprise then that dreams about losing, crooked or unsightly teeth - losing your smile - usually come when you're not feeling attractive or desirable?

This is timely; the last few days I've been feeling a little bloated, as the affects of some poor food choices late last week catching up to me. And it's all very true--our smiles are sort of our gateway when meeting new people. We use them to build trust and good feeling with everyone from family to friends to potential employers. With all of the job searching I'm doing these days, and the potentials for interviews, my smile is one of the most important features I have.

This is why I'm glad I floss every night.