Every child between the ages of 5 and 7 experiences the exciting first stage of growing up when their baby teeth fall out. The process can be slightly painful, especially if you have to resort to the help of a dentist. The sweet expectation that all his suffering will be rewarded by the tooth fairy can distract and delight the baby.
Who is the tooth fairy?
A fairy-tale creature that collects children’s fallen teeth at night, or the tooth fairy - who is she and where did she come from? Together with Babayka and Santa Claus, this character has become a favorite of families all over the world for so long that it is difficult to imagine a happy childhood without him. Using this magical image, it is easy and pleasant to talk with your child about important things in the language of a fairy tale that he understands.
If you believe the legend, the tooth fairy's working day, or rather the night when she begins her duties, is very busy. It’s hard to imagine how many baby teeth fall out in children all over the world every day, and the sorceress must have time to visit each one in order to exchange the tooth for coins or a small gift. The gap-toothed smile of a satisfied child in the morning is her main reward.
Russian rite
In Rus' they took fallen teeth seriously. It was believed that if a piece of a person falls into the hands of an evil sorcerer, then with its help he will be able to steal the soul. For this reason, the tooth was given to little helpers: a mouse or a brownie.
They hid it in a secluded corner, cellar or behind the stove. At the same time, it was necessary to say the magic words: “Mouse, mouse, take the old tooth, and give a new one in return.” Although arbitrary formulations of the conspiracy were also allowed.
They explained to the child that a baby tooth must be given away in order to receive a new and strong one in return. Sometimes the mouse brought a small gift.
The tooth fairy is a legend
The tooth fairy was invented by the Spaniard Luis Coloma at the beginning of the last century. Being a writer, he was commissioned by the queen to write a fairy tale about her son, who was just old enough to lose his first baby tooth. He became the hero of the story, along with the tooth fairy and a mouse named Perez. The fairy tale received well-deserved love and recognition. The magical tooth fairy became a welcome guest for children, and tooth loss no longer frightened them.
Few people remember the origin of this legend. The image of the tooth fairy, passed down from generation to generation, has acquired new details, changed, adapted to modern conditions, but, as before, is covered in magic. Nowadays, just like a hundred years ago, children tremblingly hide their teeth under their pillows or come up with other ways to please the tooth fairy and receive a gift.
What does the tooth fairy look like?
The magic of turning a baby tooth into a gift only happens at night, so no one knows what a real tooth fairy looks like. She is depicted in snow-white clothes, because she values cleanliness like no other. Wings and the ability to fly are an integral part of the image of a classic fairy, and without wings, how can one manage to collect all the lost teeth overnight? Rumor has it that on her belt hangs a bag of magic pollen, with which she puts to sleep anyone who wakes up at the wrong time and might catch her at work. A shimmering halo and magically colored eyes - that’s all we know about the fairy.
What does the tooth fairy do?
It is known that this hard worker sleeps during the day. There is information that at this time her elf assistants are looking around the world for children with loose teeth, planning an itinerary for the boss and coming up with gift ideas. When night falls, the good tooth fairy flies out to do her job. It is not known exactly why she needs so many baby teeth. They say that she and the other fairies use them to build a snow-white castle for their queen. Also, perhaps, with the help of the elves, she makes exquisite jewelry from them as a gift to her friends.
In any case, white, clean and beautiful teeth are especially valuable to her. The child must understand that what the tooth fairy brings as a gift depends on how carefully the child took oral hygiene, how carefully he used the toothbrush and floss, and how well he preserved the tooth for the fairy. If you try hard, you can get some coins, a good book, or a healthy treat from her.
Where does the tooth fairy live?
Like other magical characters, the tooth fairy is a resident of a fairyland where it is warm all year round, the air is filled with sweet aromas, dense forests are full of fantastic creatures, and flowers of incredible beauty sway on their stems near crystal clear lakes. Sometimes she remains asleep on our planet, hidden in a water lily or covered with the petals of another flower, but on other days she hurries home with an impressive harvest of baby teeth. There, in her spacious, bright hut, the tooth fairy and her assistants arrange the loot on shelves and prepare sleepy pollen for the future.
Is the child worried?
Many parents worry that when their children lose their baby teeth, they will develop complexes. Actually this is not true. Of course, loose and falling teeth bring physical discomfort to children, however, they do not worry about the unaesthetic appearance. After all, most of their friends also walk around with lost teeth.
When a child's first tooth falls out, the baby may be bothered by the socket that appears as a result of tooth loss. The baby's curiosity inevitably develops, and he constantly tries to touch the socket and the growing molar with his tongue (or even his finger) in order to explore new sensations.
Parents definitely need to explain to their child that this should not be done: your hands can introduce an infection into the mouth, which can cause teeth and gums to become sore.
There is no need to worry if ichor comes out of the hole after a tooth falls out. In this case, you need to let the baby rinse his mouth with a soda solution. If the wound is actively bleeding, you can let the child lightly bite on a cotton pad or gauze pad.
Does the tooth fairy exist in real life?
Some will call her a fairy tale, some will claim that they managed to meet her, and some will not care about her at all. In order to be sure whether the tooth fairy exists in real life, there is only one way - to try to see it. You can set up an ambush and watch the tooth left for her until dawn, pretending to be asleep. Leaving a video camera on all night is also a good way to find out the truth. You just need to remember that trying to get to the bottom of the truth can easily destroy all the magic, scare away the fairy and be left without gifts at all.
A professional dentist is a real tooth fairy, or at least her faithful assistant. The doctor will carefully ensure that your teeth remain strong, even and beautiful, so you must listen to his advice, follow it carefully and come for regular check-ups. Brushing diligently, taking care of it and treating it in a timely manner are simple recommendations, following which you will not be ashamed to show your fallen baby teeth to any fairy.
Why do people give a silver spoon as a gift for their first tooth?
According to custom, the baby is given a silver spoon. This tradition is old, and it came to Russia from England.
Silverware, SF ArgentA (price on the link)
It is believed that silver protects against the evil eye. Thus, the spoon becomes a talisman. It is known that this metal has healing properties, it is able to neutralize foods, and even darken if there is poison in the food. Noble people, fearing that the heir would be poisoned, used a silver spoon to feed him. Later, this custom spread to people of all classes. He assumes that the baby will be protected in this way, and silver will symbolize wealth and well-being.
Many people have heard about this, but do not know who gives a child a silver spoon for his first tooth.
According to custom, the one who first saw the tooth should give it. But now it has lost its relevance, and godparents, grandparents, and parents themselves can give it.
How to summon the tooth fairy?
The elf helpers do not always have time to inform the sorceress about all the children who will soon lose a tooth. To give her what she deserves and receive a gift, you can simply tell her that it’s time to come. So, for the tooth fairy to come, you need a ritual:
- Place the tooth under the pillow.
- Before going to bed, say: “the magic fairy will appear for the tooth, I will dream about you tonight,” or invent another enticement for her.
- Go to bed and meet her in a dream, answering the question of what you want in return for a tooth.
- In the morning, under your pillow, find a souvenir from her.
You can put a fairy bait not only under the pillow, but also in a glass of water by the bed or in a special box so that it doesn’t roll away at night. But what to do if a tooth falls out and is lost? The tooth fairy will definitely find him and bring him a reward. You just need to write a letter to her with her parents, in which they write approximately where the tooth could have been lost. It happens that the gift does not appear on the same night when the ritual was performed, but all because the fairy has a lot of work. The main thing is to make sure that your teeth are clean and healthy, and this work will certainly be rewarded.
When can you expect your first tooth to fall out?
The rudiments of permanent teeth are laid during the formation of the fetus in the womb. After birth, the baby begins to erupt baby teeth, which are the precursors of adult teeth. The age of teething may vary; there are cases when children are born with teeth. Most often, earlier teething implies their earlier loss.
Children's teeth fall out in the order in which they erupted, but not necessarily. This is explained by the duration of preservation of the roots of baby teeth. Before the tooth begins to emerge from the socket on its own, the root is reabsorbed, and the growing permanent tooth pushes the temporary one.
The replacement of baby teeth with permanent ones in children begins at the age of 5–6 years. However, this is an exclusively individual process, so the first baby tooth may fall out earlier, or vice versa, much later. Normally, at the age of 8, a child should already begin the process of changing teeth. If teeth have not begun to fall out, you should consult a dentist to predict the eruption of permanent teeth in order to exclude a delay in the process due to irregularities.
The lower incisors, located in the center, fall out first. These will be followed by the upper incisors. At the age of 7–8 years, the lateral incisors will fall out. The process is then temporarily suspended. By the age of 9–10 years, the child’s baby teeth begin to fall out again. And by the age of 14, most children have formed a full row of teeth, with the exception of the eighth molars, which are also called “wisdom” teeth. In addition to 20 baby teeth, the teenager will already have a set of permanent teeth that had no predecessors.
Signs of different peoples of the world
In Asia
The signs of Asian peoples are especially interesting. It is customary for them to throw the first milk teeth, which fell out in the upper row, onto the roof of the house, and to place the lower ones under the threshold at the entrance. There is a belief that this way you can protect your own home from evil spirits who will not be able to penetrate inside and steal the soul of a sleeping child.
In Rus'
In Rus' they believed that if parents throw out their first baby teeth, their children will soon forget the way home. Their fate will be difficult, and there will be serious trials in life. It was believed that a discarded tooth was equivalent to a discarded ruble. The wealth leaves such a family, and expenses increase. Whether there is any rational explanation for this or whether everything remains at the level of superstition - one can only guess.
In Europe
When the first milk tooth falls out, signs indicate the need to surrender it to the elements: fire, water or earth. Many nationalities do not recommend storing it, since it is quite possible to influence a person through biological material. Let us remind you that these are just superstitions that you can believe in or not believe in. You should not concentrate your attention on this as much as possible, much less turn a natural physiological process into a mystical event.
Which spoon to choose for the first tooth
When choosing, you need to consider several parameters:
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What do godparents give for the first tooth?
It is advisable to give godparents a silver spoon with Orthodox symbols. This could be a model with a cross, an image of a Saint, a Guardian Angel, a prayer “Save and Preserve,” an image of a climbing vine, an inscription “To the Godson” or “Goddaughter.” Such a spoon will become a valuable keepsake, a symbol of spiritual ties.
What do grandparents give a child for his first tooth?
Grandparents try to give their grandchildren the best, so you can trust them to give a silver spoon. The most convenient model for a child to use is a teaspoon with a wide handle, without a large number of decorative parts.
What to give a child for his first tooth?
It is clear that all relatives and friends of the family cannot give the child a silver spoon. Therefore, you can find out from the parents what the baby needs. Then you can make a useful and practical gift.
Educational toys
It’s a great idea to give children educational toys for 1 tooth. The baby has already grown up, he will happily play with new types of toys. You can give a girl a gaming table from her grandmother.
Game table as a gift for a girl’s first tooth from her grandmother
As a rule, this is an expensive gift that a young family cannot afford. The table will be useful to the child for more than a year. Soon he will become very active and it will be difficult for mom to do housework. And so the child’s attention will be occupied, he will happily be busy sorting through various sorters, folding figures and looking at pictures.
An excellent alternative to a development table will be a variety of busy boards - boards for activities, as this name is translated from English. They represent a surface with abacus, puzzles, and rosettes attached to it. You can make such a present yourself.
Since teeth begin to cut at 4-6 months, good gifts would be:
- pyramids;
- musical toys;
- large format books;
- developmental cubes;
- balls;
- tumblers.
A book as a gift for a child’s first tooth
When choosing toys, pay attention to the quality of the product. Small children at this age put everything in their mouth. Toys should not emit strong chemical odors or contain small parts. Be sure to ask for a certificate confirming the quality of the product.
Feeding table
It would be a good gift for a boy from his godmother for his first tooth. If she doesn’t have the honor of presenting a spoon to her godson, she can get by with a practical present. Mom does not have to worry that the baby will fall from the high chair; he can be left alone during feeding, and she can eat in peace at this time. A child can stay at such a table for a long time and learn to eat independently.
Teethers
The appearance of teeth in a child is, of course, a joyful, but troublesome event. The baby is capricious and feels discomfort. A variety of teethers and gels that relieve itching and pain will help alleviate his condition. Teethers can be colorful and entertaining. The baby will play with them and bite whenever he wants!
Teether as a gift for a child's first tooth
Manege
A baby who begins to actively move around the apartment will definitely need a playpen. He will be able to stay in it for a long time without endangering his life and without destroying everything in his path.
Outerwear
You can no longer wrap a growing child in a blanket for a walk, and the first onesie or envelope has already become too small. If relatives or friends are closely acquainted with the baby and know his weight and height, a wonderful gift . This gift is good for both girls and boys.
Gift Certificate
If it’s difficult to decide on a gift for the holiday, give a gift certificate to a children’s goods store. Parents themselves will be able to choose what their baby needs.
More options
There are many gift options. You can always use the universal list of gifts for babies from six months. It could be:
- bedding set;
- bath toys;
- night light;
- slide projector;
- sippy cups.
Bath toys as a gift for a baby's first tooth.
There are special cookies on sale for children who are teething. It’s too early for your child to eat chocolate, but this way he will receive an excellent sweet present that he will really like.
You can always ask your parents for advice. They will definitely say that they would be glad to receive it on this day as a present for their growing baby.
Why can't you save your first teeth?
Some parents, after exchanging teeth with their children, are not ready to part with their teeth and prefer to keep them. But in many cultures this is unacceptable, since there is a risk of magical influence on the child’s life through his part. Why you can’t keep your child’s baby teeth – the signs are as follows:
- Ill-wishers can steal and use teeth in their rituals, which will harm the health of their owner.
- A dead tooth has dead energy, which should not be adjacent to living people, as it violates the aura.
- The first teeth that fall out should not be stored in a glass container as they may attract evil spirits.
Also, our ancestors were extremely afraid and careful that their children’s milk teeth would not be swallowed by an animal. It was believed that in place of the fallen one, not an even root analogue, but an animal fang would grow.
No one will (and has no moral right) to judge you if you decide to save your child’s first teeth. Modern mothers embroider metrics, where they attach tags from the maternity hospital, first curls, pacifiers and baby’s teeth. Such a reminder will allow you to remember those very pleasant moments that our memory tries so hard to forget. It is especially important to remember a child’s childhood when he has already grown up and started his own family. Memories will help you travel back for a short time to 20-30 years ago and remember all the good things that were associated with the baby and his life.
Tags: baby tooth, omen
About the author: DrZubastik
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