When your child’s first milk tooth starts to wiggle, it won’t be long before the big event arrives: your treasure has lost its first milk tooth. To help children remember this event positively, there is the custom of the Tooth Fairy, which brings the little ones a nice surprise as a reward. We’ll show you where the Tooth Fairy custom comes from and how you can make her visit extra special.
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Where Does The Tooth Fairy Custom Come From?
Originally, the custom of the visit of the Tooth Fairy comes from Great Britain and came to America with the emigrants in the 19th century. In Great Britain, it has long been the custom that as soon as a child loses a tooth, the Tooth Fairy secretly takes the tooth away. In exchange for the tooth, in the original conception, she leaves a coin.
It is believed that the custom goes back to the idea that witches and wizards can gain power over a person if they possess a part of him. A lost tooth must thus go into good hands – those of the tooth fairy.
In the meantime, this cute custom has also spread to Germany. Even if you don’t know the custom from your childhood, your child has certainly already learned about it in kindergarten. He or she is really looking forward to the first wiggly tooth and the visit of the tooth fairy.
When the big moment arrives, the child puts the tooth under the pillow. When they wake up the next morning, they are in for a big surprise. How exciting is the moment when the little ones realize that the tooth has disappeared and the tooth fairy was really there.
Nowadays, the custom is used to take away the children’s fear of losing their milk teeth. Through the visit of the Tooth Fairy, they then associate something positive with it. Instead of a coin, the Tooth Fairy usually gives them a little surprise.
How Often The Tooth Fairy Comes
How often the Tooth Fairy visits your child is, of course, up to you. There is no fixed rule. In some families, the Tooth Fairy comes after the first lost baby tooth and takes only that tooth with her. In other families, the Tooth Fairy brings a small gift for all milk teeth.
By the 20th visit of the Tooth Fairy, the curiosity and excitement are certainly not as great as it was at the beginning. 20 small gifts can also be quite expensive. You can also simply stage the Tooth Fairy’s magic once, and in return, the Tooth Fairy might bring a somewhat larger gift.
Normally, children lose their first milk teeth when they are between four and seven years old. As a rule of thumb, the sooner the milk teeth grow, the sooner the first tooth will start to wiggle and the permanent teeth will follow. That’s why it makes sense to be prepared early for the first wiggly tooth.
This Is What The Tooth Fairy Can Bring During Her Visit
The small gift from the tooth fairy depends, of course, on how much you want to spend on it. However, it is also crucial whether the Tooth Fairy comes only for the first tooth or for all 20 milk teeth. We have put together a few ideas for tooth fairy gifts:
- A pretty tooth box for storing the milk teeth.
- A party game for fun with the whole family.
- A picture book or a radio play.
- A cuddly toy to accompany your child on the way with more wiggly teeth.
- Coloring book and crayons.
- Money for your child’s savings certificate.
Candy is not really appropriate as a gift from the tooth fairy. It is difficult to say on the one hand that good dental care is important and then hand out candy as a gift from the tooth fairy. But of course, that’s up to everyone.
A very personal gift from the tooth fairy is a small letter or a lovingly designed card. It is especially exciting for your child when the magical Tooth Fairy has left a personal message all alone for your treasure.
You can not only write to your child how proud he can be of himself and how big he is already but of course, also give a hint about how important proper dental care is. After all, you’re in awe of the Tooth Fairy, even if brushing your sweetheart’s teeth might not be particularly easy otherwise.
What The Tooth Fairy Does With Teeth
There are many different things that parents tell their children about what the Tooth Fairy does with their teeth. For some, she picks up the lost teeth and gives them to other babies who don’t have teeth themselves yet. In others, she builds a sparkling palace out of them in fairyland.
There are no limits to the story of what the Tooth Fairy does with the teeth she has taken with her. Let your imagination run wild.
Of course, you can keep your little treasure’s milk teeth secretly and present them to him in a ceremonial way at some later date. For example, on a later birthday as a personal gift.
Some children don’t like the idea of the Tooth Fairy taking the tooth that fell out – their treasure – and seemingly losing it forever. Parents – and, of course, the tooth fairy – should take this seriously and not take the tooth away from the children.
The first loose tooth is an important milestone that also has a special meaning for your child. If he wants it, he should definitely be allowed to keep it. Why not choose a tooth box together as a treasure chest for the teeth? The tooth fairy can also leave a surprise for the first lost tooth if she can’t take it with her.
As you can see, there are no limits to the design of the Tooth Fairy’s visit and you can let your imagination run wild. For your sweetheart, the loss of the first milk tooth is an important event, of which he is mighty proud. You can make this special moment even more special with a visit from the Tooth Fairy.
