National Tooth Fairy Day

A Celebration of the National Tooth Fairy Day...

The tooth fairy is a myth that can be traced back to the culture of the Americans and the Europeans. This character is said to be filled with magical mystery and generosity. Children all over the world believe that the tooth fairy gives coins and money in exchange for their milk teeth after it has fallen off. Children put their baby teeth in a tooth box and place them underneath their pillows at night and the next day would find money or a gift in exchange for the teeth. Even if a child loses his teeth without putting it underneath his pillow, it is believed that the tooth fairy magically knows and will still leave a gift for him at night.

Why the Tooth Fairy?

A fairy is viewed as warm and friendly, kind and generous. They make you smile and grant your wishes. This magical being can make all your fears go away with just one flick of her magic wand or a sprinkle of magic dust. They give you wonderful gifts and protect you from harm that may come your way. The fairy godmother and the tooth fairy are just examples of how a fairy guides a child when growing up.

Losing baby teeth can sometimes be upsetting and disturbing to little children especially because during the preschool age, children normally fear mutilation and pain of any kind. To combat the fear and the trauma that losing baby teeth causes, his parents would turn to the tradition of the tooth fairy and soothe the child’s worries with a promise of a visit from her. The gift or the money helps in allaying the fear and the distress of the child. Losing of baby teeth then is viewed as something to look forward to. Generosity is widely celebrated during the preschool age.

Where Did The Tooth Fairy Come From?

Superstition has always enfolded losing a body part in the olden days. It is believed that if a discarded body part such as the teeth or hair fall into unfriendly hands, something ill might happen to the person who lost or discarded it. It was believed that teeth are effective tokens used to protect against demons and witches in the past.

The tooth fairy was not always a fairy in the early times! It was believed to be a mouse at first. The earliest form of the tooth fairy hails from France and depicts the fairy in the form of a mouse from the fairytale Le Bonne Petite Souris. The mouse in the tale changed into a fairy to help a good queen overthrow an evil king by knocking out all his teeth while he sleeps. Feeding baby teeth to rodents in the early times is also believed to help the child develop sharp rodent-like teeth when he grows up.

The National Tooth Fairy Day is celebrated  February 28. This day commemorates our love and affection to the kindly tooth fairy and her generosity to children.