History of the Tooth Fairy
Discover the history of the Tooth Fairy and how cultures around the world celebrate the tradition of losing baby teeth.
Where Did the Tooth Fairy Come From?
Most children and parents know the Tooth Fairy as the tiny fairy who collects baby teeth from under children’s pillows in exchange for money. However, the origin of the Tooth Fairy tradition can be connected to much older customs surrounding lost baby teeth.
Early baby tooth traditions included throwing teeth into the sun or fire, placing them in mouse holes, burying them, hiding them from animals, or throwing them onto rooftops. Some cultures offered teeth to strong-toothed animals such as rodents in hopes that a child’s new teeth would grow strong.
These traditions eventually led to characters such as El Ratón Pérez in Spain and La Petite Souris in France. As the idea of the “good fairy” became popular in children’s stories during the early 1900s, these traditions evolved into the Tooth Fairy familiar to many families today.
Tooth Fairy Traditions Around the World
Tooth Fairy traditions around the world vary considerably. In parts of Asia, children traditionally throw lost teeth onto rooftops or in another direction depending on whether the tooth came from the upper or lower jaw. In parts of Central Asia, teeth have been buried beneath trees or offered to animals as symbols of strength.
In parts of the Middle East and North Africa, children traditionally throw their teeth toward the sky. In South Africa, some children follow a tradition similar to the familiar Western custom but place their baby teeth in a slipper instead of under a pillow. Although these traditions differ, they share a common theme: turning tooth shedding into a memorable childhood milestone.
From Baby Teeth to a Childhood Tradition
The Tooth Fairy money tradition is thought to have developed as losing a baby tooth became recognized as an important milestone in growing up. Money or a small reward helped transform the experience into something exciting rather than frightening for children.
Researcher Rosemary Wells of Northwestern University Dental School explored much of the history and folklore surrounding the Tooth Fairy and became known as a Tooth Fairy consultant.
Today, the Tooth Fairy remains a fun way for parents to celebrate losing a first baby tooth while encouraging conversations about primary teeth, permanent teeth, children’s oral health, and pediatric dentistry. What began as a collection of cultural rituals has become a beloved childhood tradition for families around the world.