Tooth Fairy Traditions Around the World
National Tooth Fairy Day
National Tooth Fairy Day is celebrated on February 28th each year and is the perfect opportunity for parents to chat to their little ones about things like dental hygiene. It’s of course a fabulous opportunity to nurture their imaginative side by spending the day doing Tooth Fairy related activities like reading books, doing arts & crafts projects, drawing pictures or even fun fairy scavenger hunts!
Did you know that not every culture has a Tooth Fairy?
The tradition of a child receiving a gift for a lost tooth stems back to medieval Europe, where there was a tradition of tand-fé or tooth fee, which was paid when a child lost their first tooth. This tradition is recorded in writing as far back as the Eddas (c. 1200) , which are the earliest written record of Norse and Northern European traditions. You can find out more about the origins of the Tooth Fairy here.
Although the Tooth Fairy is a familiar tradition in the U.S and other primarily English-speaking countries, this is not the case in other countries around the world. While not every culture has a Tooth Fairy, many do have traditions that encourage improved oral health.
So, what other traditions are out there?
The Tooth Mouse
In many countries, children believe in the Tooth Mouse rather than the Tooth Fairy. The tradition is almost universal in Spanish cultures, but takes different forms in different areas. In Spain, Mexico and other countries in Latin America, it is a mouse named Ratoncito Peréz, or El Raton de Los Dientes who exchanges their pearly whites for coins. Children will leave their tooth in a box by their bed in the hope that the mouse will take it in exchange for money. Some countries like Argentina also have a tooth mouse, but instead of putting the tooth under a pillow, children place it in a glass of water and wait for a coin to take its place by morning.
Similar to El Ratoncito Peréz, La Petit Souris (Little Mouse) collects the baby teeth of children in France and Switzerland.
A mouse also collects teeth from children in South Africa, however rather than leaving the tooth under their pillow, they leave it in a slipper ready to be collected during the night.
Throwing the Tooth
In parts on North Africa and the Middle East, kids throw their tooth to the sun, as they believe that their bright smiles come from the sun.
In other parts of the world, such as Greece and Cameroon, children throw their teeth on the roof and ask that a new & healthy tooth will grow. Some of these countries believe if the tooth lands straight, a new tooth will grow in straight, but if it lands crooked, the new tooth will grow in crooked – so no pressure there!
Children in countries such as Singapore, Vietnam and Japan throw only their lower teeth on the roof, and upper teeth get buried in the ground or placed under the bed.
Natural Spirits
For the Yellowknife Dene, losing a tooth is a real family celebration. Mothers and grandmothers put the tooth in a tree, and the family dances around the tree to encourage the tooth to grow in as straight as the trunk!
Children of Aboriginal Australians will place their tooth inside a shoot of the pandanus plant and as the plant grows into a tree, the tooth will grow too.
Burying the Tooth
In Turkey, parents believe that their child’s lost tooth holds their future within – so if they want their child to become a doctor, they will bury the tooth around a hospital.
Tooth Keepsakes
In some cultures, parents make unique jewelry from baby teeth. Proud Moms in Costa Rica and Chile have the tooth gold plated and made into charms for necklaces and earrings to give their kiddos as a gift.
The Birds
In Brazil, children will throw their tooth outside and ask the birds to take it away and bring another. The birds will only take clean teeth, so children must brush their teeth everyday if they wish to get a new one.
Children in West Africa actually get a bird in exchange for their tooth, either a chicken or a rooster.
Help your kiddo learn about different customs and cultures this National Tooth Fairy Day!
Tooth Fairy day is actually celebrated twice every year – February 28th & August 22nd. This is because the American Dental Association recommends that people get their teeth cleaned every six months—and these two observance days are spaced to help remind people of that.