Tooth Fairy Traditions throughout the World

Friday, 12/11/2009

Tooth Fairy Traditions throughout the World

“When the first baby laughed for the first time, its laugh broke into a thousand pieces, and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies.”

-From Peter Pan, by J.M. Barrie

The (Other) Tooth Fairy

In J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan, Peter tells this lovely story about where fairies first came from. But J.M. Barrie and his play are silent as to the specific origins of the Tooth Fairy. Like many childhood heroes and legends, the tooth fairy comes from many different folklores and cultural rituals:

In Europe it was a common practice to bury the baby tooth in the garden or in the fields surrounding the child’s home. One reason was to make sure a new, permanent tooth would grow in its place. The other reason for this ritual was superstition. Supposedly, witches and/or evil spirits could place curses on a child if they had its tooth (as with fingernail clippings and/or hair), so burying the teeth prevented this from happening. As people moved into towns and cities where bare land wasn’t as plentiful, they began placing the teeth in small flowerpots, planter boxes, or bedside chests.
In some Asian countries, the custom was for the child to throw a lost tooth onto the roof if it came from the lower jaw, or into the space beneath the floor if it came from the upper jaw. While doing this, the child shouts a request for the tooth to be replaced—with the tooth of a mouse! Apparently, the teeth of mice go on growing for their entire lifespan.
In parts of India, young children offer their discarded baby tooth to the sun, sometimes wrapped in a tiny rag made of cotton.
The Vikings believed that the power of the children’s teeth would aid the Vikings in battles. They used to pay their children a “tooth fee” so they could string the teeth onto necklaces and other jewelry.
Many historians believe the Tooth Fairy came over time from the tooth mouse in an 18th century French language fairy tale. In “La Bonne Petite Souris,” a mouse changes into a fairy to help a good queen defeat an evil king. The mouse hides under the king’s pillow and tortures him—and by knocking out all his teeth.

[Adapted from NWKids.com]

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some commonly asked questions –and their answers—about the tooth fairy, compiled by Nancy Wurtzel, the founder and owner of All About Baby.

Why did a fairy become associated with losing a baby tooth?

Many old cultures marked the loss of a child’s baby or milk teeth. Some ancient cultures placed the lost tooth in a tree or threw it to the sun. Other rituals involved having an adult swallow the tooth or burn it.

Why is the Tooth Fairy so popular?

The Tooth Fairy helps parents and children mark the transition from infancy to childhood. It’s a rite of passage that is not attached to any religion or holiday, which accounts for its widespread celebration.

When does the Tooth Fairy first come to visit?

Although it varies, children generally lose their first baby tooth between the ages of 5 and 7 years.

Why is the Tooth Fairy usually female?

As a popular culture figure of relatively modern times, the Tooth Fairy is usually depicted as a woman. However, some companies are now offering Tooth Fairy “Prince” style gifts for the boys to enjoy.

What does the Tooth Fairy exchange for the child’s tooth?

Money remains the most popular choice but the amount of money varies greatly.

What happens to all the teeth collected over the years by the Tooth Fairy?

Some parents tell their children that the teeth become the countless shimmering stars in the sky. Others say that the Tooth Fairy is building a fabulous castle for herself using all of the “donated” teeth.

Today, there are numerous books available about the Tooth Fairy that offer their own version of what happens to the countless lost teeth.

[via AllBaby.com]

Walden’s new film TOOTH FAIRY starring Dwayne Johnson, Ashley Judd, Billy Crystal, Stephen Merchant and Julie Andrews comes to theaters nationwide January 22, 2010.