Baby Teeth Traditions from Around the World

The tooth fairy is a very common American tradition. Most everyone knows about the tooth fairy. She comes about in the middle of the night, replacing lost teeth with money under the child's pillow. But how did she come about? And how do other countries celebrate this important milestone?

Tooth Fairy Origin

The tooth fairy as we Americans know her evolved from an 18th century French fairy tale, in which a mouse changes himself into a fairy to help a good Queen defeat an evil King. The mouse/fairy hid under the King's pillow and tormented him, knocking out all of his teeth.

This story may also explain the origin of other traditions involving a 'tooth mouse'.

Tales of the Mouse

In several countries, it is believed that, instead of a fairy, a mouse creeps into the house and takes the tooth from under the pillow in exchange for coins, toys, or candy. In Mexico and Spain, the mouse, sometimes called Ratoncito Pérez (little mouse with a common surname) or ratón de los dientes (tooth mouse) exchanges the tooth for coins. In some parts of the Lowlands in Scotland, it is a white fairy rat which purchases the teeth for coins.

In France, La Petite Souris (the little mouse) replaces the tooth with a small gift or toy, whereas in Slovenia, a mouse leaves candy during the night.

The Tossing of the Tooth

The tradition to throw the tooth centers around mostly Asian countries. In Japan and Korea, the bottom teeth are thrown up onto the roof of the house, and the upper teeth are tossed underneath the home. This tradition has to do with the direction the roots grow and to ensure healthy growth.

In Vietnam, both the upper and lower teeth are thrown up over the house. As the tooth is thrown, the child shouts a request for his lost tooth to be replaced with a tooth of a mouse, as rodent teeth continue growing their whole life.

The Austrian tradition says that the baby tooth is either made into a key ring, or it is thrown over or under the house, similar to the custom in Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.

Nigeria seems to have combined both this tradition with the mouse theme. The lost tooth is tossed up into the attic of the home. An incantation is said warning mice not to eat the tooth, because then a new tooth would not grow.

Warding off Evil

It is said that the teeth, hair and nails contain a part of a person's soul, and that if a witch gains possession of these personal items, then she gains possession of the soul itself. In England during the Middle Ages, children were encouraged to drop the tooth into a fire to destroy it in an attempt to ward off evil. In present time, however, British children are told of the tooth fairy and they awaken to find money under their pillow.

European children believe that if their tooth was buried in the ground, only then would a new permanent tooth grow. This also served as a way of thwarting demon possession.

Other Traditions

In Mongolia, the lost tooth is fed to a young dog, because the dog is considered to be a guardian angel. The baby tooth is mixed in with meat fat, and when the dog eats it, then a new, strong tooth will grow.

Italian parents simply keep the little tooth as a keepsake for their children.

Sources

"Tooth Fairy Around the World" , ToothFairys.net.
"Various Tooth Fairy Tales", Multiculturalpedia
"Tooth fairy", Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia