Curious little minds will want to know more about this little visitor who slips into their bedrooms every time they lose a tooth. At the first sign of a wiggly tooth, parents are often faced with an onslaught of questions. Kids want to know more about the tiny, winged lady who retrieves the pearly white and leaves behind a coin, or perhaps taking inflation into account, a dollar bill. Most moms and dads are ill-equipped to answer these questions with meaningful responses, often having to make up tall tales to satisfy the imaginations of their children. Fortunately, there are lots of facts about the tooth fairy and how she rose from obscurity into the most popular keeper of baby teeth.
Tooth Fairy History and Trivia
There is so much to learn about traditions around the world for kids who lose their baby teeth. One common theme across countries and cultures is the magical appearance of a tiny figure who collects them in exchange for some sort of treasure in the form of money or small trinket. To make sure pearly whites are safe and sound until the visitor arrives, kids love adorable tooth pillows that make special keepsakes to cherish forever. They also love reading about where she lives, how she spends her time during the day, and the history of how she evolved into the magical keeper of lost teeth. So grab a few charming books about the tooth fairy to share what life is like for the lovely little being. In the meantime, here is some fascinating trivia all about her.
(1) She is more than 100 years old.
The first reference to the Tooth Fairy appeared in a Chicago Daily Tribune article from 1908. In a column called Household Hints, the author advises parents about the removal of loose teeth. It is suggested that children will comply if promised that a little fairy will deliver a small gift in exchange for the tooth.
(2) She is not really a fairy in some parts of the world.
In the United States, she is portrayed as a tiny being who flutters daintily from house to house delivering coins and treats under pillows at night. Other countries, like Spain, France and Belgium, believe that a mouse slips into the house at night to retrieve teeth. Children commonly leave morsels of cheese alongside their teeth to beckon the magical mouse.
(3) Dr. Rosemary Wells was the undisputed tooth fairy expert.
In the 1970s, Dr. Rosemary Wells was a professor at Northwestern University's dental school. She became fascinated with the popular notion of the a visitor who retrieves little teeth, but realized she knew very little about this history of this mythological creature. So she interviewed anthropologists, parents, and children to collect data and get a better understanding of the interpretations and traditions. Dr. Wells rose to prominence at the foremost Tooth Fairy expert, writing numerous articles and even appearing on The Oprah Winfrey Show. From 1993 to her death in 2000, her house was a museum that showcased memorabilia, books, art, and dolls across all cultures.
(4) Every child can expect about 20 visits from the Tooth Fairy.
In the typical mouth of a child, 20 teeth emerge during the baby and toddler years, only to fall out starting between the ages of 4 and 7. Perhaps a creative parent, in an effort to calm a child anxious about losing a tooth, crafted a story about a mythical creature who will deliver a surprise in exchange for a little pearly white. No doubt this story was effective, and still is to this day, in assuaging the fears of little ones. The good news is that she even visits when the tooth is truly lost, leaving behind money even in its absence.
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