Doesn’t Everyone Believe in the Tooth Fairy?
If you live in an English-speaking country, you probably can’t even remember learning about the tooth fairy. It’s just one of those things everyone knows. As it turns out, we actually have a pretty young tooth fairy! The tooth fairy that kids in the U.S., England, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand know and love first came on the scene in the 1920s and gained her spritely image during the rise of animated movies mid-century.
While most parents and kids in these countries today just take it for granted that we’ve always put our teeth under a pillow to be exchanged in the night for rewards, we’ve really only been following this fun tradition for about 100 years. That doesn’t seem like a very long time, but we Americans have embraced the tooth fairy so completely, that her rewards are actually an indicator of how our economy is doing!
Even though English is the tooth fairy’s most common language, she speaks every language in the world quite well. This way, she can visit any kid who wants her to collect a lost tooth. Since losing teeth is something that every kid in the world has in common, what do kids in other countries believe, if they don’t have the tooth fairy?
A Mouse with Strong Teeth Makes a Great Tooth Fairy
Believe it or not, kids all over the world for at least 300 years have been inviting a little mouse to come and collect their teeth! In fact, so many kids in so many countries believe in this special mouse, that he has different names in different languages.
Rodents are known for their strong teeth, so who better than a mouse to help kids through this important part of growing up? The long-standing tradition is that when children leave their teeth in a special place for the mouse to collect, he will leave them small coins and bless them with strong permanent teeth.
In Spanish-speaking countries like Spain, Mexico, and several South American nations, he goes by Ratocinto Perez, El Raton de Los Dientes, Raton Perez, or Perez Mouse. French speakers in France, Belgium, and Switzerland like to call him La Petite Souris. Kids in South Africa place teeth in a slipper for their mouse. Kids in El Salvador believe in a different cute and furry animal with strong teeth – a rabbit comes to take their teeth!
Teeth Tossing Traditions
There are a lot of kids who don’t believe in either a fairy or a mouse to take their teeth away. Throwing teeth somewhere outside is actually a pretty common tradition around the world.
Kids in Greece and the Dominican Republic throw their teeth onto a roof, while Japanese kids throw bottom teeth up to a roof and top teeth down to the ground. In Brazil, kids throw their teeth outside for a bird to collect. If the kids have kept their teeth clean and sparkly, the bird leaves gifts for them.
In Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq, teeth get thrown at the sun as a gift in exchange for strong permanent teeth. In Turkey, people believe lost teeth are connected to a child’s future, so they bury teeth near places that give them favorable options. Children in Pakistan throw teeth into a river for good luck.
Keeping a Bit of Childhood Safe
Finally, some traditions are based not on giving teeth away, but rather on keeping lost teeth in a special box or case. In Lithuania, some children even make jewelry from their baby teeth. We here at FlutterPop happen to know that a lot of parents have a deal with their tooth fairy or tooth mouse to have the teeth returned for safekeeping in a memory box like those in our shop.
No matter the tradition in your family, FlutterPop is committed to helping parents and children get through this part of growing up with bright and healthy smiles.
To join us as we continue learning all about childhood tooth loss and the mythical creatures who help us through this special time, follow us on Facebook and Instagram.