Has your child just lost child their first tooth, and you're wondering how to explain the tooth fairy to them? Many children believe in the tooth fairy, which visits nearly 80 percent of American homes with children, as reported by the Original Tooth Fairy Poll.
The mythical tooth fairy figure was created to help make the usually traumatic, painful experience of losing a tooth less scary. It is believed to take away children's baby teeth while leaving behind money or a small gift.
Telling your child a supernatural fairy will sneak into their room and exchange their tooth with a gift can make it a little more exciting. But your baby may want to know if the tooth fairy is actually real. This article will discuss the origin of the magical fairy and how it became so popular.
The Origin of the Tooth Fairy
The origin of the tooth fairy is not clearly known, but it's believed to have emerged during the 1880s in Northern Europe. The fantasy figure became a popular belief in early childhood in most Western cultures.
This tradition involved kids placing a tooth under the pillow, and the tooth fairy would fly into their room while they slept and replace the tooth with some fee. The earliest written records of the tooth fairy appeared in literature around 1200. During this time, kids' teeth and other possessions were believed to bring good luck during wars.
The Modern Tooth Fairy Myth
This believe first made its way to Western culture, particularly in America, through a story published in The Chicago Tribune in 1908. The writer of the story, Lilian Brown, urged parents to tell their kids that a "tooth fairy" will place 5 cents underneath their pillow for each tooth they lose.
She suggested this was a way to make the loss of baby teeth more magical and pleasing to kids. The tooth fairy myth has since become a beloved part of many cultures and has been embedded in modern culture.
Campfire Pediatric Dentistry has a close connection to the magical tooth fairy and the mystery it brings to our young children. After all, losing one or more teeth isn't that traumatizing when it could mean a beneficial visit from the tooth fairy.
Keep Your Child's Teeth Ready For The Tooth Fairy With Campfire Pediatric Dentistry
While the tooth fairy isn't real, it's a crucial part of your baby's journey to achieving oral health. At Campfire Pediatric Dentistry, we love to make pediatric dentistry enjoyable for kids of all ages in Middleton, WI. Our pediatric dentists will recommend the most suitable restorative dentistry and preventive treatment for your child to help maintain their oral health.
Ready to get started? Call us at (608) 535-9382 to request an appointment with Dr. Nathan Benassi to discuss your child's dental needs.
