The idea of the tooth fairy has been around for ages. The legend of the tooth fairy coming to get baby teeth from children in exchange for money is originally from the United States and dates back to the 1900s. Tooth fairies are still popular with parents and children today, and parents look for fun and creative ways to bring the tooth fairy to life with their children.
Children start to lose their baby teeth anywhere from 5-7 years old, by the time the children’s full set of 32 adult teeth come in they will have lost 20 baby teeth. When a child loses their first tooth, it’s best to set expectations on how much money the tooth fairy normally leaves. On average, the tooth fairy leaves $1.50-$2.50 per tooth.
Teaching your children the importance of oral health is an important lesson that will benefit them for their entire life. Using rewards from the tooth fairy is a great way to stress the importance of this. The tooth fairy can write your child a note reminding them to brush and floss. You can also add glitter to make fairy dust for the note to seem more authentic and believable for skeptical children.
Some children worry about what would happen if their teeth got lost under their pillow, if this is the case, there are pillowcases, small pillows, or even small treasure chests that your child can put their tooth in. Sometimes a child might lose a tooth and not know it or aren’t at home when they lose a tooth. If this happens, you can have your child write the tooth fairy a note, explaining what happened or why they aren’t at home to the tooth fairy.
Losing a tooth is a right of passage for your child, this is one of the first things that welcome them out of their baby phase into their adolescence. This should be a fun experience for both you and your child. You can use this as a reason to talk to your child about keeping their teeth and mouth healthy.
At All Star Dental, we are proudly serving families of all ages! From the time your child has their first tooth all the way through their adult years. If your child needs to see a dentist, come see us! We have five locations across Chicago for your convenience. You can learn more about children’s dental tips on our website. If you have questions or want to book an appointment, you can call us at one of our locations or contact us on our website.