Saving Baby Teeth

Tip toeing into your child's bedroom to retrieve a baby tooth from under their pillow and replacing it with a surprise from the tooth fairy is just as much a rite of passage for parents as it is for children. Losing their baby teeth and getting their big (or adult) teeth signifies leaving the baby days behind. It is bittersweet to watch our children growing up so fast. Some parents may just toss the tooth into the trash, perhaps I am overly sentimental but I could never do that. So what to do with the teeth? Here are a few ideas to help the tooth fairy out.

Dear Diary:
Keeping a journal can be a fantastic way of preserving those precious childhood memories and the pearly whites. Each time your child loses a tooth wrap it in a small square of plastic wrap or wax paper and tape it to the page. Write an entry that includes your child's thoughts and impressions of losing the tooth, how old they were and what the tooth fairy left them. You could even take a picture of your child's sweet gap toothed smile to paste on the page.

Memory Box:
A little keepsake box for your child's baby teeth is a sweet memory keeper idea. Even more special if you make it yourself. Local craft stores have plain cardboard boxes that you could paint, decoupage or cover in fabric. I bought a small wooden box at Michael's for $2.49 and painted in with glittery pink craft paint that cost $1.89. I painted the inside also. Once it was dry I used a Sharpie marker to write ''Hello Tooth Fairy'' on the inside. Cute, functional and for less than five dollars I have a memory box for my daughter's first teeth.

Glass Houses:
My mom kept all of our baby teeth in a blue glass jar. I have five siblings so there is no telling whose is whose but she saved them all. I am the youngest so those teeth have been around a long time. A baby food jar is also a good way to save teeth as it has a screw on lid so the teeth are less likely to get lost or spilled out. You could glue fabric on the lid for decoration to personalize it.

Baby Teeth Bling :
Not for the easily nauseated but there are many people who make jewelry such as necklaces , bracelets and earrings out of baby teeth. As sentimental as I am I don't think I could stomach wearing jewelry made out of baby teeth.

Weight right there:
Craft supply stores have paperweight kits and there are also some available on the internet. Encasing your child's baby teeth into an acrylic or resin paperweight makes it not only functional but is a good gift idea for Father's Day or for grandparents. The kits often run about $30.00 but have the makings for several paperweights.

However you decide to preserve your child's baby teeth memories just don't forget to leave something under the pillow.