Playing the Part of The Perfect Tooth Fairy

The loss of a child’s first tooth is such a fun milestone! Are you ready for it? For over a century losing a tooth been a rite of passage that involves magic, as the tooth fairy collects a tooth left under the child’s pillow and leaves a small gift in exchange. This used to be a little bit of money, but in the Pinterest age, the game has changed, and being the perfect tooth fairy may require a little bit of creative thinking.

Before we get to the magic part though, it’s only fair to address something that first-time parents might not have considered. The whole losing a tooth thing is pretty disgusting. First of all, you have a child with a loose tooth, and most of them basically refuse to keep their hands off of it. They wiggle it back and forth, and some of them refuse any assistance until the thing is basically hanging on by a thread. Then, when you finally persuade the child to let you just pull the tooth already, what is your reward? You’re standing there with a tooth in your hand, which is not really something most of us want.

Once that ordeal is done, and the blood is rinsed down the drain, it’s time for the magic to begin. How do children even know about the tooth fairy? It seems like something they’re born knowing, but if your child wants a tooth fairy origin story, you can find one here, all about how the tooth fairy uses the teeth she collects to build a castle. When your child is sold on the concept of trading teeth for loot, the next step is to determine where to hide the teeth. Under the pillow is traditional, of course, but it’s more challenging than you might think to root around under a child’s pillow in the middle of the night. Consider a cute tooth fairy pillow, with a pocket to securely hold the tooth.

Now, decide on your ritual. You might want to talk to some friends about the going tooth fairy rate because it can vary pretty widely. Some kids get change, while others get bills, and it’s good to know the consensus in your social circle before you choose something too far off from what your child will hear from the other kids. For older kids, cash is king, but with little kids, you might consider skipping the money in favor of a small trinket, book, or another prize. Remember, though, that whatever you do the first time will set the bar for the rest of your tooth fairy years. If you overshoot, you may regret it about 15 teeth from now.

There’s more to the tooth fairy than money and prizes, though. Some parents leave notes from the tooth fairy, written with a special pen in some very fancy handwriting, giving advice on dental hygiene. Others leave glitter somewhere, either sprinkled over the bed or in tiny footprints that meander through the house. What your tooth fairy does is up to you, so have fun with it!

Once you’ve glittered and gifted, you’re left, once again, holding a tooth. What should you do with it? This is another thing that’s entirely up to you, but we suspect that most parents have a secret tooth stash somewhere in the house. It’s a little bittersweet, that first little lost tooth, because it probably seems like just a minute ago that you were watching that tooth grow into your baby’s little pink gums. No one will blame you if you get a little sentimental and decide to hang onto those little teeth.

From the moment those first teeth erupt into that gummy grin, they’re yours to care for. It’s a big responsibility, so it helps to have a dentist you trust as a partner in your child’s oral health. At Glenwood Premier Dental, we believe that a healthy, confident smile is an important part of a happy and healthy lifestyle. Our staff of caring professionals is committed to offering a wide range of dental services, exceeding our patients’ expectations, and providing the best possible service. We offer dental exams and teeth cleanings, implant dentistry, Invisalign, laser dentistry, teeth whitening, veneers, and more, using state of the art technology in a comfortable and friendly environment.