Some children would place a lost tooth in their shoes overnight. No one knows how it originated, but historians believe that the tradition of ‘trading’ baby teeth for money or treats could link back to an 18th-century story in France, La Bonne Petite Souris (The Little Mouse). People would leave their baby teeth out as offerings for mice, hoping that giving them their teeth would help their human teeth grow back stronger. Mice have incisors that never stop growing, and they are strong too, so people began to associate mice with good teeth. They may have noticed that mice always had plenty of teeth to chew through their walls. While the origins of the tooth fairy vary from culture to culture, many of the stories involve mice! It is regrettable, but back in the day, most people who lost their teeth (even adult teeth) did so because they did not have access to proper oral care. What Does the Tooth Fairy Look Like? Mice and Trade? They also did that to protect the baby teeth from falling into an evil witch’s hands! And it would appear that here in America, the tooth-for-money custom came from European traditions. In Europe, for centuries, people buried their baby teeth to encourage the growth of healthy permanent teeth. In other places, some people would incorporate the baby teeth into parts of their clothing. Tibetan rituals demanded someone crush the primary tooth between a couple of stones and then toss the dusty remains to the wind. In some places, it is customary to plant baby teeth in the ground once they are lost. These traditions date back centuries and are as varied as there are cultures around the world. The traditions that go along with losing baby teeth are called “shed tooth rituals” by anthropologists and folklorists. Other kids receive some toys or treats instead.īut considering how common it is to hear about this story, how did it originate? Was it always a story about a magical fairy? Read on to learn more about the weird history of the tooth fairy! Where Does the Tooth Fairy Come From Many children know that when they lose a tooth, they will receive coins or dollar bills from the tooth fairy in exchange for their teeth. It is fairly common (pun intended) that whenever a child loses one of their baby teeth, their parents will tell them to expect a visit from the tooth fairy.
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