Tales About the Tooth Fairy

surfct • Feb 08, 2017

Think back on the days that you believed in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. Do you remember the excitement the prospect of losing a baby tooth brought? Knowing that the Tooth Fairy was going to come to take the tooth and leave money, whether it was a dime, quarter, or dollar, is a highlight of childhood.


As the Tooth Fairy once again becomes a part of your life through your children, you may wonder how the Tooth Fairy came to be. The legend of the Tooth Fairy has evolved over time from myths that are hundreds of years old. Long ago in Europe, when a child lost a baby tooth, they were supposed to bury it. Tradition stated that this would save the child from hardships in the afterlife. The Vikings used children’s teeth to bring them good luck in battle.


There are many traditions relating to the loss of baby teeth going back thousands of years. When a child lost a baby tooth, they would do one or more of the following:

  • Throw it into the sun
  • Throw it into the fire
  • Throw it onto or over the roof of a dwelling
  • Place it in a mouse hole
  • Bury it in the ground
  • Hide it out of sight of animals
  • Put it inside a tree or on the wall
  • Swallow it, or have their mother or pet swallow it


There are many versions of the tooth deity. In some countries, a mouse would enter children’s rooms and remove baby teeth. In other cultures, the tooth deity varies to include beavers, dogs, cats, and squirrels. The tooth deity would take the lost baby tooth that was “buried” under a pillow and replace it with gifts like money.


Our beloved Tooth Fairy was inspired by the legend of the mouse combined with legends from Europe of a good fairy that originated in fairy tales. In about 1927, a book made our current idea of the Tooth Fairy popular in America.

For more information and to schedule your child’s next visit with our dentist in Madison, Connecticut, please contact Madison Dental Spa today. Dr. Moumen Almouzayn and our team are dedicated to serving you and your family.

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