Would you like to take a trip around the world? You would? Good! But this is not just any adventure; it’s a dental adventure. Stories of the tooth fairy have been around for hundreds of years, and today, those same stories make the loss of baby teeth a more positive experience for children. Would you like to get acquainted with some fun tooth fairy tales from different countries? Let’s go exploring!
The United States and Other English-Speaking Countries
Let’s start with a version of the tooth fairy that you may already be familiar with. In the United States and many other English-speaking countries, children are encouraged to place their lost teeth beneath their pillow. Then, in the middle of the night, a fairy comes to take the lost teeth and replaces them with money.
China, Japan, India, Korea, and Vietnam
In these Asian countries, it is common for children to throw their lost teeth around. A tooth from the lower jaw gets thrown onto the roof, while teeth lost from the upper jaw get placed on the floor or even underground. The idea behind this is that a new tooth will get “pulled” toward the old one.
In these countries, tossing the teeth is often accompanied by a wish that the lost tooth be replaced by the tooth of a mouse. That is because mice have teeth that never stop growing.
Spain and Other Hispanic Countries
In Spain, Mexico, and other Hispanic countries, tooth fairy myths center around a character known as Ratoncito Perez or Perez Mouse. As you might guess from his name, he is a mouse who collects teeth. Children place their lost teeth under their pillow, and Ratoncito Perez replaces them with gifts. Or, some kids place their lost tooth in a glass of water, with the idea that the tooth mouse will drink the water and leave a gift in the glass after he collects the tooth.
Mongolia
Mongolia has a rather unique approach to the loss of baby teeth. There, it is traditional to place a lost tooth in some fat and feed it to a dog. This is done in the hopes that the grown-up tooth will be as strong as the dog’s teeth. (Do not try that at home — a tooth could be a choking hazard for your poor pup!).
If no dog is available, people in Mongolia may bury lost baby teeth near a tree so that the new teeth have strong roots.
Have you enjoyed our tour of different tooth fairy traditions? Some of them can be a fun way to remember an important part of growing up!
Meet the Practice
Dr. Adrienne Archidiacono-Jeanis is a board-certified pediatric dentist and the creator of Lolly’s Land. She and our team at Aledo Pediatric Dentistry are enthusiastic about creating a positive and educational dental care environment for kids and their families. To learn more about us, get in touch at 817-383-2576.