We are excited to announce that our office is now open with a limited schedule for all treatments and procedures, and that we’re taking additional special measures to ensure the health and safety of our patients and team members.
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We are excited to announce that our office is now open with a limited schedule for all treatments and procedures, and that we’re taking additional special measures to ensure the health and safety of our patients and team members.
read moreHopefully, this article won’t be read by many little ones, but no, the Tooth Fairy isn't real.
But it doesn’t mean you should tell your kids that just yet! The story of the Tooth Fairy can play an important role in your child’s oral health.
Keep reading to learn how the Tooth Fairy can help your kids:
The Tooth Fairy can be traced back to a Norse tradition where a child would receive a "tooth fee" every time they lost a tooth. Baby teeth were considered good luck in battle, so warriors often wore them for protection.
But the Tooth Fairy is a bit more modern. It was first mentioned in 1908 in an edition of the Chicago Daily Tribune as a tip to help parents remove a loose tooth from an apprehensive child.
The author suggests placing the tooth under the pillow so the Tooth Fairy can take it and reward the child with 5 cents.
Unfortunately, these days, the Tooth Fairy will need to cough up more for a baby tooth.
The Tooth Fairy is a harmless childhood myth, similar to Santa Claus. It’s your decision whether to tell your child the truth or introduce them to this myth.
Some pediatric psychologists recommend being honest with children, even when it comes to these types of white lies. Others don’t really see the harm in adding some magic to your child’s life.
From a dental perspective, the Tooth Fairy can be beneficial. Children may be understandably scared or weary of pain when a baby tooth needs to be extracted. Telling them about the Tooth Fairy may be a strong enough motivator to get the tooth pulled.
Leaving baby teeth for too long causes lots of issues; most often, it affects the position of the adult tooth and leads to alignment or bite issues. The Tooth Fairy may just help prevent that.
Kids will eventually discover the truth on their own, either from their peers, an older sibling, or even online. But if they don’t, use your judgment to determine when the child’s getting a bit too old for the Tooth Fairy and other myths.
There’s no right or wrong age here. If your child asks you directly about the Tooth Fairy, you can just tell them the truth to avoid lying to them.
Has your child recently been visited by the Tooth Fairy? Or is a baby tooth more stubborn and refusing to fall out?
Bring them to Sea of Smiles Pediatric Dentistry for a short consultation to make sure their oral development is on track!
Schedule a consultation online or call us at (267) 392-5878 for more information.
