Tooth Fairy 101

It’s easy to understand why so many of our young patients inquire about one with whom we are well-acquainted – the Tooth Fairy. She sends her helpers to regularly watch as we do our work so that she can make sure to collect all the teeth lost.  

The Tooth Fairy is shrouded in mystery without much information about her origin or what she does with all those teeth! Unfortunately, Dr. Rogers, while a good friend of hers, is sworn to protect her secrets, those few that he knows, of course. 

When did the Tooth Fairy start visiting children in the United States? 

Each culture has a tradition or superstition surrounding the loss of baby teeth. In Europe, the tradition is that mice collect children’s teeth, and in France, the practice continues with “le Petit Souris.” Somewhere during the late 19th and early 20th century, the Tooth Fairy as we know and love her began to visit children in the United States. The first written mention of her was found in 1927 in a short collection of stories for children. 

How does she do it? 

Like Santa and the Easter Bunny, there is a certain level of magic and mystery around the Tooth Fairy’s ability to accomplish such a monumental feat. Remember that Santa and the Easter Bunny have significantly more visits to make and must do so in one night, and the Tooth Fairy only visits those children’s homes who have lost teeth. While she still has a lot to do each night, she doesn’t visit nearly as many homes as do the others. Some have suggested that she has regional helpers, which makes a lot of sense. 

How much does the Tooth Fairy bring on average? 

This is a tricky question, because it really varies. She takes into consideration the quality of the tooth, whether it is the first lost tooth or a later one, and even if it was lost because of an accident or needed Dr. Rogers to help pull it. In 2019, the average gift from the Tooth Fairy was $3.70 per tooth. 

Even though Dr. Rogers, your hometown, Spanish Fork dentist is sworn to secrecy about all that he knows of the Tooth Fairy, he loves to help children take care of their teeth so that they can have the chance to earn top dollar! Make an appointment with Roger’s Dentistry today, Spanish Fork’s leading dental practice.