THE EXCITEMENT OF LOSING a tooth and waiting for the Tooth Fairy to come is something almost every child looks forward to, but how can parents make sure this rite of passage lives up to the hype? If you’ve been looking for ways to improve your Tooth Fairy game, we have a few ideas you could use!
The Tooth Fairy’s Origins
The idea of a fairy who quietly swaps a child’s tooth for money or a small gift overnight isn’t a very old one, but there have been traditions associated with children losing their first tooth since the time of the Vikings, when the teeth were often buried to ensure a happy life for the child or considered good luck in battle. These days, many cultures have the Tooth Fairy or a Tooth Mouse, but exactly how the tradition operates varies from household to household.
A Few Fun Tooth Fairy Ideas
If you or your children are getting bored with the old dollar-under-the-pillow routine, it might be time to help your Tooth Fairy out. Try out one or more of these to really bring the magic back:
- Tooth Fairy pillow: Sew a little pillow big enough to hold the lost tooth! When the Tooth Fairy comes, she’ll replace the tooth with whatever item she brings and put it in the same slot the tooth was in.
- Fairy Dust: Sprinkle a coating of glitter over the Tooth Fairy money to make it seem like it’s covered in magical fairy dust!
- Tooth Fairy note: Leave a signed note from the Tooth Fairy to let your child know they’re doing a great job on their oral hygiene and encourage them to keep it up!
- Tooth box: A good way to make sure the tooth doesn’t become lost is to put it in a cute little box! Your child can decorate the box to make it even more special, and then the Tooth Fairy can put the reward in the box when she takes the tooth.
- Tooth Fairy door: If your child’s room doesn’t have a window that opens (or if you want to do it just for fun), you could provide a special door the Tooth Fairy can use! A simple, fairy sized, door is a great way to make sure she doesn’t get stuck outside!
- Capturing the Tooth Fairy: Can you catch the Tooth Fairy on camera? There are websites and editing apps that will help you get this amazing footage. But remember, the Tooth Fairy is very tricky and might be hard to catch!
Dr. Michele Nielsen’s favourite book about the Tooth Fairy is “Throw Your Tooth on the Roof” by Selby Beeler
Close Colleagues: The Dentist And The Tooth Fairy
A great way to make sure everything is going well with your child’s incoming adult tooth and the rest of their teeth is to bring them in for a check-up and cleaning! We can also offer more Tooth Fairy ideas and tips on how to handle those loose teeth. Don’t forget to tell us your Tooth Fairy stories. We can’t wait to hear how things went with the Tooth Fairy!
Keep Your Smile In Shape!
~Dr. Michele Nielsen, Dr. Doug Nielsen, Dr. Selena Chow and Dr. Bob Jamieson
