Worldwide Tooth Fairy Customs

Everyone can recall occasions from our youth when the Tooth Fairy traded cash for our beloved baby teeth.

It is a popular custom for American families, and the Tooth Fairy is also a great narrative for parents to apply when trying to persuade their children to take better care of their teeth. As a matter of fact, writer Vicki Lanksy found that kids were even more dedicated to keeping up good oral hygiene if their parents assured them that the Tooth Fairy provided a lot more cash for perfect teeth. But did you realize that the Tooth Fairy that we know is primarily exclusive to Americans? And contrary to Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, the sources of this particular practice are fairly unknown.

Is There A Tooth Fairy Consultant?

Rosemary Wells, an instructor from the Northwestern University Dental School, opted to carry out some research on the mysterious origins of the Tooth Fairy. What she encountered was that the Tooth Fairy wasn’t as old as was traditionally believed. The first oral indication of this fairy happened near the turn of the 20th century, and it appeared in print for the first time in 1927. Wells continued her exploration for years and she actually organized a nationwide questionnaire that involved approximately 2,000 families. Among the most significant of Wells’ results is the exhibition that she has opened that features all of her research and findings. And where is this museum? It’s inside of Wells’ Illinois home. Her business card even proclaims her as the official “Tooth Fairy Consultant.”

All Over The Planet

Even though the approach of the pop culture Tooth Fairy has its sources in American society, the procedures regarding lost baby teeth differ from country to country. Children living in Russia, New Zealand, France, and Mexico set their baby teeth underneath their pillow in the belief that a mouse or rat will change it out for money or candy. The thought of this principle is that young children’s teeth are going to grow back as strong as a mouse’s. Many cultures’ practices of the Tooth Fairy incorporate a rodent or mouse, but it depends on the location; on the occasion that the kid puts their tooth under their pillow or if they keep it out for the mouse to grab. The French call this figure La Petite Souris, whereas the Spanish named it Ratoncito Perez.

Some other famous legends consist of sinking the lost tooth in a glass of water or milk– and even wine–and keeping it on the night table. Tannfe, the Norwegian tooth fairy, prefers the teeth in clear water considering that her worn out and drowsy eyes cannot locate the tooth somewhere else. Plus, once the kid awakes in the following morning, a silver coin will be at the base of the glass. For Irish boy or girls, the tooth fairy is a young leprechaun referred to as Anna Bogle who mistakenly lost her front tooth. She takes children’s lost teeth as a substitute for her lost teeth, and in exchange, she leaves behind a glossy gold coin. Meanwhile, in Asian countries, boys and girls will throw teeth lost from the bottom jaw onto the roof of their home, and teeth lost from the top jaw will be thrown inside the area underneath their house. Often, the children will shout out an aspiration for sturdy, healthy teeth to grow in its place.

There are several cultures that treat the custom of lost teeth with an air of caution. For instance, in Austria, young children used to stash their teeth in the terrains around their household. This was done to protect the young children just because Austrians strongly believed that if a witch found a young child’s tooth, that child might end up being cursed. On the other hand, Viking fighters felt their children’s teeth gave blessing throughout combat, and they frequently created jewelry out of the teeth to wear to war.

Rational Approaches to the Tooth Fairy

It could be justified that the practice of these various tooth fairy beliefs can help children overcome the fear of losing teeth, and even give contentment during the course of this all-new experience. Anthropologist Cindy Dell Clark has claimed that a boy or girl receiving money in exchange for their lost tooth is the very first evolution toward maturity as getting money throughout adulthood is an exercise in accountability and agency.

Rosemary Wells and Cindy Dell Clark aren’t the only ones who have been investigating and experimenting with the results of the tooth fairy. In 2013, Visa presented that the common amount traded for a tooth in the United States was $3.70. Visa’s senior director of global financial education Jason Alderman has explained: “It is due to a combination of things: one is a reflection of an improving economy, and that parents feel they can afford to be generous in small areas.”

Our team wants to know what you believe! Did you have a one-of-a-kind tooth fairy tradition as a child? How much did the Tooth Fairy leave for you? Additionally, parents, we have a few tips on why your child’s oral health is so important, that you can review here.