I remember hearing this dialogue in a sitcom once:

Person A: It was like... you know that dream where someone's chasing you and your feet are glued to the floor and you can't run away? And you're naked?
Person B: I'm not usually naked in that one, but, yeah, ok...

Until now, I didn't think people got recurrent dreams. I don't think I have ever had that dream before, clothed or naked. Dreams people have over and over again... that only happens on TV.

But all that has changed now: I've officially had my first recurrent dream. I woke up from my nap today in the middle of a dream. I remember thinking to myself, while asleep, Oh, not again! And when I awoke, I realized it was just a dream, a vaguely familiar story that I had lived before but not exactly. It was a recurrent dream, and here's how it went. I remember feeling something in my mouth, and then pulling it out with my fingers. It ends up being a tooth. I then feel around with my tongue to see where it came from; sure enough, it's one of my mine, and there's a space where one of my premolars is supposed to go. I usually subsequently panic, awaken, and feel my teeth with my tongue just to make sure all the little pearly not-so-whites are still there. After a sigh of relief, I invariably conclude it's a) time to brush my teeth, b) time to visit a dentist. When you're asleep, it all feels so real; a recurrent dream seems more like d?j? vu than just a dream you've had before. I'm so glad that's not the case in reality because I'd have dentures by now. Maybe it really is time to visit the dentist...