Tooth Fairy is BIG Business

Childhood is a time for believing in imaginary friends and fantastic beings such as the tooth fairy. Soon, children begin a phase in which they trade some childhood magic for something real as a signal that they are growing up. In many cultures this trade is a rite of passage that happens when a child loses a baby tooth. Believe it or not, the tooth fairy became associated with that rite of passage.

There is not much reference to the magical connection between losing a tooth and a mystical being until about the eighteenth century. Then, in the late nineteenth century, the king of Spain asked a priest to write a story for the king’s young son who had just lost a tooth. Thus, was born Ratoncito Pérez, the Spanish version of a tooth mouse that had magical powers.

Today, it is unlikely that you think about tooth rituals and rites of passage when your child loses a tooth. You just pay the ransom and enjoy playing along with the tradition.

In our culture, the idea of a tooth fairy probably began in the early 1900s. But the idea didn’t really take off until sometime in the middle of the twentieth century. Suddenly, there were books, movies and cartoons about the Tooth Fairy. Then, in 1961, Charles Schultz gave the Tooth Fairy national exposure when he introduced her into one of his “Peanuts” cartoon strips.

Exchanging a lost tooth for money or a small gift may have begun as a way to calm a child’s fear about this important dental event. But it is big business today. Stores brim with all sorts of Tooth Fairy merchandise. Even the exchange rate has skyrocketed. What used to be a dime or quarter reward, today is two dollars—and climbing—in some families.

Yes, it is a natural progression of life when children five or six years old lose their baby teeth. It is also a time when we need to monitor this process so that we can make certain that a tooth replacement is happening normally. It is also a time for us to carefully watch the eruption of the permanent tooth. That way we can intervene early if the permanent tooth needs some help, erupts at an incorrect angle, or needs professional guidance in many other situations that can occur.

We want a child’s permanent teeth to be healthy and strong. With good home care and regular dental visits, we can let the tooth fairy continue to do her magic, and we can take over the real work of giving your child a smile that will last a lifetime.

Call us if it is time for a check-up or someone is having a dental issue. We are here to help.