Curious little minds will want to know more about this little visitor who slips into their bedrooms every time they lose a tooth. Grab a few charming tooth fairy picture books to share what life is like for the lovely little being. In the meantime, here are some fascinating tidbits about this magical being and how she rose from obscurity into the most popular keeper of baby teeth.
Facts About the Tooth Fairy
She is more than 100 years old.
The first reference to the Tooth Fairy appeared in a Chicago Daily Tribune article from 1908. In a column called Household Hints, the author advises parents about the removal of loose teeth. It is suggested that children will comply if promised that a little fairy will deliver a small gift in exchange for the tooth. To make sure pearly whites are safe and sound until the visitor arrives, here are some adorable tooth fairy pillows that make special keepsakes.
She is not really a fairy in some parts of the world.
In the United States, she is portrayed as a tiny being who flutters daintily from house to house delivering coins and treats under pillows at night. Other countries, like Spain, France and Belgium, believe that a mouse slips into the house at night to retrieve teeth. Children commonly leave morsels of cheese alongside their teeth to beckon the magical mouse.
Dr. Rosemary Wells was the undisputed tooth fairy expert.
In the 1970s, Dr. Rosemary Wells was a professor at Northwestern University's dental school. She became fascinated with the popular notion of the a visitor who retrieves little teeth, but realized she knew very little about this history of this mythological creature. So she interviewed anthropologists, parents, and children to collect data and get a better understanding of the interpretations and traditions. Dr. Wells rose to prominence at the foremost Tooth Fairy expert, writing numerous articles and even appearing on The Oprah Winfrey Show. From 1993 to her death in 2000, her house was a museum that showcased memorabilia, books, art, and dolls across all cultures.
More Facts About Magical Beings
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