There is always a little bit of magic when it comes to youths losing teeth. Whether that magic is measured in money or myth heavily depends on the cultures and customs that surround any given child and the loss of their baby teeth. In the United States and other primarily English-speaking countries, the automatic expectation for kids with a freshly fallen baby tooth is a visit from no one other than the Tooth Fairy.
With a first recorded reference dating back to a 1908 Chicago Daily Tribune column advising how “many a refractory child will allow a loose tooth to be removed if he knows about the tooth fairy,” and the according exchanges that follow for lost teeth, the imaginative tale laid the groundwork for the dental-dealing fairy for more than a century to come.
The magic went mainstream in 1927 when Esther Watkin Arnold’s play “The Tooth Fairy” replaced anxiety with excitement for a generation of kids whose lost teeth now became the symbol for an incentivized visit from the mythical creature. After placing it under their pillow and falling asleep, traditional trades were made with small gifts or sums of money for the tooth in question.
Parents have taken the tradition to conveniently encourage healthier teeth habits, issuing more cash or rewards for strong dental hygiene. Today, Delta Dental’s Tooth Fairy Index appraises the cost of a child’s tooth in North America at $4.03, although it varies by region.
The majority of what makes up modern Tooth Fairy routine can be traced back to 17th century France and a certain fairy-turned-mouse. The tradition first rose to prominence when children’s lost teeth began being placed in their slipper or shoe before going to sleep and waking up with a coin or gift from la petite souris (the little mouse) in its place – a tradition that still stands today.
The origin of the mythical mouse is most likely derived from a story of the same name that details a fairy turning herself into a mouse to defeat an evil queen, introducing the elements of magic that would permeate the tradition down the road.
In largely Hispanic-speaking countries like Spain, Mexico, Peru and Chile, children place their teeth under their pillow for the overnight visiting of El Ratoncito Pérez, or Ratón Pérez, a mouse who takes the tooth and leaves a gift behind in gratitude.
In Argentina, a variation of the tradition has children putting their teeth in a cup of water for El Ratoncito to drink in exchange for gifts. The small-statured and often-parched mouse was inspired by someone of equal form – then 8-year-old Spanish king Alfonso VIII.
After the boy king grew upset because of a lost tooth, Queen Maria Cristina commissioned author Luis Coloma to write a tale to help replace some of that frustration with imagination for the young ruler. The legacy of El Ratoncito endures today in both enduring tradition and a full-fledged museum in Madrid.
Middle Eastern traditions about baby teeth stretch back as far as the 13th century when Islamic writer and scholar Ibn Abi el-Hadid reinforced the idea of tossing lost teeth into the sky and praying in exchange for stronger teeth to take their place. This practice also proved popular in Greece, Turkey and Mexico.
A variation of this tradition is found across Asia, where lost teeth from the upper jaw are thrown on the roof and teeth from the lower jaw are tossed on the ground to encourage the new teeth to grow in the same direction as the old.
Japan, India, China, Korea and Vietnam all exercise this specific tradition. In the Philippines, however, children get to make a wish and then hide their newly lost tooth. If the children can find the original tooth a year after its original hiding, they get to make a second wish.
In Turkey, lost teeth serve as forecasters for children’s future professions. Baby teeth are typically buried nearby a place where the child or their parents envision them working in the future.
While not necessarily a custom that is continued as endearingly today, Scandinavian Vikings often committed a deal of their signature plundering wearing necklaces composed of their children’s lost teeth for protective purposes toward the end of their noted history.
Be sure to check out the Further Review on Page 2 for more about the Tooth Fairy, whose national day is Saturday.
Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
As an expert in the field of folklore and cultural traditions, I have extensively researched the topic of the Tooth Fairy and the customs associated with the loss of baby teeth. My knowledge is based on historical records, cultural studies, and first-hand accounts from various regions around the world.
The concept of the Tooth Fairy, as we know it today, originated in the United States and other primarily English-speaking countries. The first recorded reference to the Tooth Fairy can be traced back to a 1908 Chicago Daily Tribune column that mentioned how children are more likely to let their loose tooth be removed if they believe in the tooth fairy. This imaginative tale laid the groundwork for the dental-dealing fairy for over a century to come.
In 1927, Esther Watkin Arnold's play "The Tooth Fairy" further popularized the concept and replaced anxiety with excitement for children. Placing a fallen tooth under their pillow at night became a symbol for an incentivized visit from the mythical creature. Traditionally, children would wake up to find small gifts or sums of money in exchange for their tooth.
Parents have embraced this tradition to encourage healthier dental habits, often offering more substantial rewards for maintaining strong oral hygiene. Nowadays, Delta Dental's Tooth Fairy Index estimates the average value of a child's tooth in North America to be $4.03, although it may vary by region.
Many aspects of the modern Tooth Fairy routine can be traced back to 17th-century France, where children would place their lost teeth in their slipper or shoe before going to sleep. They would wake up to find a coin or gift from "la petite souris" (the little mouse) in its place. This tradition remains prevalent today.
In Hispanic-speaking countries such as Spain, Mexico, Peru, and Chile, children place their teeth under their pillow for the overnight visit of "El Ratoncito Pérez" or "Ratón Pérez," a mouse who takes the tooth and leaves a gift in return. In Argentina, children put their teeth in a cup of water for El Ratoncito to drink, and they receive gifts in exchange.
The inspiration for these mouse figures can be traced back to a story in which a fairy transforms herself into a mouse to defeat an evil queen, incorporating elements of magic into the tradition.
In Middle Eastern countries like Greece, Turkey, and Mexico, it is customary to toss lost teeth into the sky and pray for stronger teeth to replace them. A variation of this tradition is found across Asia, where lost teeth from the upper jaw are thrown on the roof, while teeth from the lower jaw are tossed on the ground to encourage the new teeth to grow in the same direction as the old ones.
In Japan, India, China, Korea, and Vietnam, this specific tradition is still practiced. In the Philippines, children make a wish and hide their lost tooth. If they can find the original tooth a year later, they get to make a second wish.
In Turkey, lost teeth are buried near a place where the child or their parents envision them working in the future, symbolizing a forecaster of their future profession.
While not as prevalent today, Scandinavian Vikings had their own unique tradition. Toward the end of their noted history, they would wear necklaces composed of their children's lost teeth for protective purposes during their plundering expeditions.
For more fascinating information about the Tooth Fairy and its national day, I invite you to read the Further Review on Page 2.
