Yesterday was Tooth Fairy Day. If you missed it, don’t worry. There’s another one in August.
I don’t have any idea why the Tooth Fairy rates having two official days, but she can probably afford it. She seems pretty flush with cash.
The folklore about the Tooth Fairy goes back a long ways, mostly in Western cultures. In Norse mythology, children’s teeth were thought to bring good luck in battle, so warriors would wear necklaces of children’s teeth when they went to war. Also way in the past, children in England were encouraged to burn their primary teeth or they could spend eternity looking for them.
This evolved into children who lose a primary tooth putting the tooth under their pillow or on their night table. The Tooth Fairy would come by as they slept and exchange the tooth for a small gift, which eventually became money. There are even early newspaper articles claiming that a child with a loose tooth could be persuaded to let the tooth be removed if they knew they were going to get something in exchange.
There have even been special Tooth Fairy coins issued in some countries. In 2011 and 2012, Canada put out special Tooth Fairy quarters. In 2020, Australia had special Tooth Fairy kits that included special $2 coins.
The amount the Tooth Fairy leaves behind seems to vary. There doesn’t seem to be a set amount for certain teeth. Maybe it depends on what the Tooth Fairy happens to have on them on any given night. Or maybe there is a whole army of Tooth Fairies sharing the visits and it depends on which Fairy shows up to collect the tooth.
Not much is known about the Tooth Fairy. No one seems absolutely positive what he or she looks like. But if you happen to see her, tell her I’m sorry I missed her special day. I’ll catch her on the next one in August.
