August 22 is National Tooth Fairy Day.
The Tooth Fairy ritual is when a child loses a tooth and places it under his/her pillow before going to sleep. In the morning, the child finds a coin or other money from the Tooth Fairy in its place. Of course in reality, the parents sneak into the room at night and replace the tooth.
Believing in the Tooth Fairy gives children a small reward when they lose a tooth and makes the experience less worrisome. Many kids find losing a tooth to be scary. Therefore the idea of the Tooth Fairy provides them with something to look forward to instead.
It also teaches children about having faith in things that are unseen, even though the Tooth Fairy is imaginary.
The Tooth Fairy is one of the many childhood myths, such as Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, which young children believe are true. Eventually as they get older, they discover these things are just make-believe.
Celebrate National Tooth Fairy Day with your kids by reinforcing the importance of good dental hygiene and regular teeth brushing.
Get more information on the tooth fairy, dental hygiene and dentistry:
- Tooth Fairyland – Get a free letter from the tooth fairy.
- American Dental Association – Read comprehensive dental info from the ADA.
- Dental Directories – Locate a dentist in your area from one of these directories.
- Cosmetic Dentistry – Learn more about cosmetic dentistry procedures.
- ADHA – Find fun games for kids from the American Dental Hygienists Association.
