Children toss their baby teeth up in the sky while praying for stronger teeth to grow in place of the old ones - promoting healthy dental habits. In most Middle Eastern countries, the experience has less mythological magic and more religious customs. The tooth is then hidden by their parents and if the kids can find the tooth after one year, they receive a second wish. Once a tooth is lost, children make a wish on the tooth. In countries such as China, India, Korea, Japan and Vietnam, lost teeth can mean more than just a magical experience for young children. Similar to France, a small rodent – El Ratoncito Pérez – is known by children in countries such as Chile, Peru, parts of Mexico and Spain to visit homes at night, take their teeth and provide “gifts in gratitude.” Meanwhile, in Argentina, lost teeth are left in a cup of water for the little mouse to collect and then drink the water, before she leaves a small gift behind. Aside from France, a small rodent shows up in many tooth legends, including Italy, Scotland and most Spanish-speaking countries. This tradition continues today, but in addition to leaving their teeth under their pillows, children in France also hide their teeth in slippers and shoes. It’s widely believed that the tradition originated from a 17th century fairy tale by Baroness d’Aulnow, titled “The Good Little Mouse (La Bonne Petite Souris),” about a fairy who turns into a mouse to help a queen defeat an evil king – hiding under the king’s pillow to take all of his teeth while he sleeps. In France young children looked forward to a visit from a little mouse who would quietly sneak into homes, rolling in coins, while everyone was asleep to collect baby teeth from children in exchange for money. Here are some of the tooth folk tales and traditions from around the world: While the modern Tooth Fairy dates back only to the beginning of the 20th century, the popular pixie has evolved from a tradition that has been around for centuries. The adoption of this mythical creature was accepted rather quickly with the help of fairies portrayed as magical characters in several beloved Walt Disney films during this time. The character later became a widespread phenomenon in 1927 when Esther Watkins Arnold’s book, “The Tooth Fairy: Three-Act Playlet for Children,” elaborated on the idea of a fairy flying into the homes of children to trade money for teeth.
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