What good is a fallen tooth? Ask a child who lives in the U.S. and he/she will tell you that it is worth at least a dollar — that is approximately 60 rupees! This is thanks to the friendly Tooth Fairy. She makes children feel better about losing their teeth by giving them money in return, rewarding them for their big, strong teeth. You cannot see her though! She works her magic at night when you are asleep. Place your fallen tooth under your pillow and in the morning you will find the tooth has gone and in its place is money!
The legend
The story of the Tooth Fairy probably begins in the U.S. It is a mixture of European and American traditions with the influence of popular characters from comics and movies. In the beginning, the tooth was more often than not, buried. Sometimes it was burnt or thrown over the roof. In rare cases it would be kept out to be eaten by an animal, the mouse being the popular choice. There is also a story that a mouse runs through the town every night stealing children’s fallen tooth.
With the passage of time, a fairy in the role of collecting teeth seemed more appealing. This was around the beginning of the 1900s.
The tooth fairy may be a figment of imagination, however, it is a fun way to recover the loss of your tooth. So get ready to celebrate with your tooth fairy.
Every year, Tooth Fairy Day is celebrated on February 28 or August 22.
Tooth Fairy’s spokesperson
According to an article that appeared in the Chicago Tribune , Rosemary Wells, an English professor and a children’s book writer, called herself the “Tooth Fairy consultant”.
She set up a museum in her home in the U.S. dedicated to the Tooth Fairy that has 100s of Tooth Fairy dolls from different cultures, drawings by kids, books, paintings, boxes to hold the tooth and other collectibles.
Did you know?
Though we like to imagine the Tooth Fairy to be a slender, winged-creature like Tinkerbell, the imagery varies from a dentist to a dragon to even a bear!
According to a survey by VISA Inc., in 201 3 the Tooth Fairy Leaving Average was $3.70 per tooth! In 2012, it was $3.
There is an App for parents in the U.S. to help figure the going rate for a tooth based on where they live and their economic status.
