History of the Tooth Fairy

The story of the Tooth Fairy is well-known across Western households, but its origins are far older and more varied than most realize. While children in North America and Europe tuck their baby teeth under pillows for money, many cultures have their own versions of this ritual. The concept of exchanging teeth for luck, strength, or prosperity can be traced back centuries to early human traditions found across Europe, Asia, and beyond.

Early civilizations practiced unique rituals to mark the loss of baby teeth. According to B.R. Townend’s 1960 research, traditions included throwing teeth into the sun or fire, burying them, or offering them to animals.

Many believed giving teeth to strong-toothed creatures like mice would ensure healthy adult teeth. This led to the creation of the “tooth mouse” character, celebrated in Europe and Latin America as Spain’s Ratóncito Pérez and France’s La Petite Souris. In Madrid, the Ratóncito Pérez Museum still honors this beloved folklore figure.

The idea of the Tooth Fairy emerged in the early 1900s when Europe’s “good fairy” folklore merged with the older “tooth mouse” stories. The character’s first recorded appearance was in a 1927 play by Esther Watkins Arnold. The addition of monetary rewards likely evolved as a symbolic way to celebrate a child’s growth and independence. Scholars, including Cindy Dell Clark, suggest that this exchange reflected an American influence, connecting childhood milestones with early lessons about responsibility and reward.

Tooth traditions vary widely across the globe. In parts of Asia, children throw their teeth in specific directions, often wishing for strong teeth like a rodent’s. In Central Asia, children may bury teeth under trees or feed them to dogs to gain strength. In the Middle East and North Africa, teeth are thrown toward the sky, a practice that dates back to the 13th century. In South Africa, children place their teeth in slippers instead of under pillows. Much of what we know about these customs comes from Rosemary Wells of Northwestern University, who dedicated her research to uncovering the global history of the Tooth Fairy.