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The Tooth Fairy is a good fairy who collects children’s lost teeth in exchange for money or gifts. The tradition stems from ancient beliefs about baby teeth and fairies, with some cultures burying or securing the teeth to prevent witchcraft. The Tooth Fairy tradition began in the early 1900s as a way to reward children for enduring the discomfort of losing baby teeth and to ensure they grow healthy and strong.
The Tooth Fairy is a legendary good fairy who collects teeth when children lose them, offering coins in exchange. It’s part of a vast and complex cultural tradition of good and bad fairies, and children all over the world leave their teeth to the Tooth Fairy in hopes of seeing some money in the morning. In some cultures, instead of money, children receive a gift or toy from the tooth fairy, with some spoilsport tooth fairies leaving gifts such as toothbrushes or dental floss to encourage children to take care of their budding adult teeth .
Before delving into the story of the Tooth Fairy, you might be interested in knowing some background. Many cultures have a long history of superstition surrounding the loss of baby teeth, the teeth that children use in their early years. In some societies, the loss of baby or “milk” teeth is seen as a rite of passage, with tooth loss signaling the transition into adulthood. The history of performing some kind of ritual act with lost teeth is ancient.
Related to beliefs about the loss of baby teeth are beliefs about witchcraft. Many cultures believed (and some still believe) that if a witch can obtain a part of someone’s body, she can use that body part to perform black magic. Baby teeth would be a prime target for witches, along with things like nail clippings and hair bits. As a result, many cultures had a tradition of securing baby teeth to ensure they did not fall into the hands of witches.
Historically, some people buried their baby teeth, fed them to animals, or saved them so they could keep an eye on them. As early as the 1600s, legends began to arise about fairies picking baby teeth, but it wasn’t until the early 1900s that people started leaving offerings for the Tooth Fairy. This good fairy is supposed to take care of lost baby teeth, making sure that their owner grows healthy and strong.
The tradition of leaving money in exchange for a tooth also reflects very ancient beliefs about fairies. Especially in English folklore, there is a long tradition of leaving gifts for fairies and receiving gifts in return. Fairies in a way reward people who offer them assistance, and in the case of the Tooth Fairy, money is an expression of thanks for the tooth and a reward for enduring the discomfort associated with losing baby teeth.
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