How did the Tooth Fairy hype begin?

Where does she come from? According to an article by Salon Magazine’s Michael Hingston, the tooth fairy is only 88 years old. But every culture has a tradition going back thousands of years built around the loss of children’s teeth. Middle Eastern cultures offer their teeth to the sun by throwing their teeth up in the air, while some Asian cultures believe that by throwing their lower teeth on the roof and their upper teeth on the floor (or under) they can ensure healthy tooth growth.

In many European cultures, teeth are offered to a mouse or rat so that children’s adult teeth will grow to become as strong as the teeth of a rodent. In Spain and other Spanish speaking countries they call the mouse Ratóncito Pérez who exchanges the tooth for a gift. The list goes on and on.

In the US, we started the tooth fairy tradition in 1927 by mixing the figure of the mouse that exchanges the tooth for a gift with the much more pleasing form of the good natured fairy from European stories. And instead of leaving gifts, we leave money.

Tips for Making the Tooth Fairy More Fun

Just having your children put their teeth under the pillow every time they lose their tooth can get repetitive and boring. Help make their transition into a “big kid” extra special. Here are some ways you can help your child feel more engaged and keep the magic alive with these great, yet inexpensive tooth fairy ideas.

Proof of Purchase

Certificates of good healthy teeth can help your child keep their teeth clean enough for the tooth fairy. These certificates can include the child’s name, date of tooth loss, method of tooth loss, and how much the child received in return for the tooth. Receipts are also a cute keepsake for the tooth. You can make these from scratch from Pinterest templates or print them out. My favorite printable Tooth Fairy receipt is from Oh My Gluestick because it includes a checkbox for quality of tooth. Both the certificates and receipts can be a great addition to your child’s scrapbook.

Caught in the Act

Icaughtthetoothfairy.com is a fun service that provides photographic “evidence” of the tooth fairy. Just upload a picture of your sleeping child to the site and they’ll put an image of the tooth fairy caught in the act of taking the tooth. Leave it by your kid’s bed or give it to them at breakfast. They’ll be so excited to show off their amazing photo with the tooth fairy and make their friends jealous.

Tooth Box or Pillow or Jar

If your child is a light sleeper, having them put their tooth under the pillow may be a bad idea. Instead, make a special box out of cardboard or wood and have your kid decorate it however they want. This lets your child feel even more involved in the tooth fairy tradition. Matchboxes are the perfect size for a tooth box plus they’re pretty inexpensive. Customized pillows and jars will also do the trick.

Letters

Have your child write letters to the tooth fairy like they would Santa Claus. Creating a personal relationship with the tooth fairy will make sure your child looks forward to losing their teeth. You can use this opportunity to teach them a lesson about good brushing habits. Miniature letters from the tooth fairy encourages good dental health or keeping their room clean.

Letters from the tooth fairy can also positively reinforce your child’s behavior by praising their good dental habits. Tell your children that the tooth fairy pays more for healthy teeth. For a fun easy kit, visit www.officeofthetoothfairy.com for “The Official Tooth Fairy Kit” which includes a certificate with the official tooth fairy seal as well as a reusable cloth bag to store the certificate and teeth in.

Count the teeth

A tooth punch card is a great way to keep track of how many teeth your child has lost. A punch card can also keep costs down. Twenty teeth can get rack up a hefty sum so employ the punch card method that restaurants use. Every tooth lost gets a quarter and once the child has lost five or ten teeth they get a whole dollar or five or however much you want to give them.

A chart of the teeth can also help keeps track of the teeth your child loses. Labeling the teeth will help your children understand what each tooth is called. This way they can learn about the way teeth are placed in their mouth and why it’s so important to brush all the way in the back.

Fairy dust

Fairy dust can be a fun way to bring the magic alive. Pinterest has some great ways to make fairy dust. My favorite is a recipe for edible fairy dust that uses sugar, food coloring and your oven. Make use of the homemade fairy dust and bring the tooth fairy alive by making little footprints on the windowsill with Barbie shoes. You can also use glitter hair spray found at Walmart, party store, or Halloween store. Spray the glitter on the dollar bill and coins to make it look touched by a fairy.

The tooth fairy can be a great tool to teach your children the importance of good dental hygiene. Plus activities including the tooth fairy make for great meaningful family time fun. Talk about two birds with one stone!

This is just a fun fact but we were honored to recently win an award for the best new dental office design in America!

Tip # 1: Start Young

Children can develop a fear for things at a young age. Bring your child to South Davis Pediatric Dentistry before their first birthday. Starting at a young age will help your child get into a routine, which can prevent a lot of issues with dental anxiety.

Tip # 2: Make Brushing Fun

Kids can dread brushing their teeth if this becomes a chore you nag them about. At South Davis Pediatric Dentistry, we want to bring the fun back into brushing your teeth! Our toothpaste flavors and brightly colored toothbrushes will make it fun for your kids to use. Another great way to help your kids enjoy brushing their teeth is to sing a song or to create a game when they brush their teeth. Click here for more ideas that will make brushing teeth more fun for your child.

Tip # 3: Make It a Habit

You need to make caring for teeth and gums a family habit. When your children see you brushing your teeth, they will follow suit. Try to have a routine where you can brush your teeth with your children at night. Brushing as a family is a great way to help your kids maintain proper oral health.

Tip # 4: Play Dentist Games

A great way to prepare your kids for the dentist is to play the dentist game with your kids. Take turns allowing them to be the dentist and you to be the dentist. This is a fun way to practice what will happen when they visit our office. Playing dentist with stuffed animals is another fun way to prevent kids from being nervous about visiting the dentist.

Tip # 5: Go as a Family

Another way to help your child feel comfortable when visiting the dentist is to schedule a family visit. A younger child might feel less worrisome when they watch their older sibling have their teeth cleaned and examined first. Going together also prevents your child from feeling alone when they are in the dental chair.

Tip # 6: Talk to the Dentist

Our friendly dental team wants to make your child’s visit go as smoothly as possible. Bring up any fears you may have with our office and we will work with your child to help them feel comfortable. We have the latest tools and techniques in Pediatric dentistry and we provide sedation dentistry to help your child feel relaxed when they are in the dental chair.

Tip # 7: Prepare Your Child

Don’t just spring up a dental visit on your child without plenty of warning. Children need to have time to process things that can be new or different. Discuss what the visit will entail so your child can be prepared. If your child needs to have a dental filling, make sure you discuss this with your child so they aren’t scared when they are in the office.

Tip # 8: Stay with Your Child

Some kids need to have their parents with them to hold their hands and reassure them while the dentist works on their teeth. If you know your child needs your reassurance, stay near them to hold their hand during the appointment.

Our Bountiful dental office is inviting for children and it is a fun place for children to play while learning about their oral health. Call South Davis Pediatric Dentistry today to schedule your child’s visit; (801)294-8880.

Here at South Davis Pediatric Dentistry, we want you to know what to do to help protect your child’s enamel if frequent vomiting is a problem.

What is Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome?

In case you aren’t familiar with the term, Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome is classified as episodes of severe vomiting that take place without apparent cause. This condition can include episodes that last hours or days. Episodes can alternate between periods of time that are symptom-free.

Vomiting episodes are typically similar to one another, meaning they will start at the same time each day and will last as long as they do on other days. Sometimes, the episodes can include migraines, causing a child to stay in bed for several days.

Frequent Vomiting Means Oral Health Problems

When a child suffers from Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome, here’s what can happen:

• Enamel strips away from the teeth
• Salivary glands swell, causing mouth tissue to become dry, sore, and red
• Chronic sore throats and even hemorrhages under the skin of the palate develop
• Teeth become stained, which often requires years of dental treatment to reverse

How These Problems Affect Your Child

When enamel erodes, children experience increased sensitivity to hot and cold foods and liquids. This brings discomfort that can last into adulthood.

Severe erosion can lead to changes in your child’s bite. The back teeth can be reduced in size and can even fall out if they experience too much erosion.

What You Should Do

If your child suffers from Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome, there are a few steps you can take to help protect their oral health.

Practice rinsing your child’s mouth with a mixture of water and baking soda. This will reduce the amount of bacteria and will protect enamel and gums.

After a vomiting episode, never brush your child’s teeth. Vomiting brings up stomach acid that weakens the enamel of the teeth, so brushing soon after can cause further erosion. The best thing you can do is wait an hour or longer before brushing your child’s teeth. When you brush, use fluoride toothpaste.

Get the Help Your Child Needs—Today!

Start keeping a record of how often your child is vomiting. If you notice anything unusual, call your pediatrician right away. If your child has a chronic condition, proper medical treatment will be necessary.

One especially important medical treatment for kids with CVS is oral health treatment. Here at South Davis Pediatric Dentistry, we share your same concern to help your child have a healthy mouth. Come in and visit us today! If your child is suffering from CVS, we can provide fluoride treatments to help strengthen enamel. Depending on how severe the condition is, we may even prescribe daily fluoride treatments.

Our dental office is here to help when major setbacks to your child’s oral health occur. Don’t hesitate to call today at (801) 294-8880 to schedule an appointment for your child. You can also stop in by scheduling an appointment to ensure your child’s oral health is the best it can be.