Most of us have either been visited by the tooth fairy, or “been” the tooth fairy. Where did this idea begin?

The tradition was first noted in the earliest written records of Northern European and Norse culture as early as 1200. Tand-fé, loosely translated as “tooth fee,” was paid out when a child lost their first tooth. Although the loss of baby teeth has been a universally celebrated event for children; the precise origin of the traditions is hard to pinpoint.

Between the 5th and 15th centuries, superstitions arose surrounding baby teeth. Centuries ago, in Europe it was a common practice when a child’s baby tooth fell out, to bury it in the ground. The tooth was buried in the garden or field’s surrounding the child’s home. It was done so that a new tooth would grow in its place. Another reason for this ritual was superstition; if a witch got a hold of the tooth, a curse could be placed on the child.

In England, children were advised to burn their baby teeth to prevent hardship in the afterlife. The Vikings, on the other hand, paid for those teeth, because they believed that children’s teeth brought good luck in battle. It was quite common for Scandinavian warriors to hang children’s teeth on necklaces around their necks.  

While children in America are visited by a tooth “fairy”, many European nations have a tooth-gathering mouse that provides little rewards. The Tooth Fairy is a fantasy figure of early childhood in Western and Western-influenced cultures and first came to visit American children in the early 1900’s. The folklore states that when children lose one of their baby teeth, they should place it underneath their pillow or on their bedside table and the Tooth Fairy will visit while they sleep, replacing the lost tooth with a small payment. The fairy doesn’t make her first appearance in print until 1927, in The Tooth Fairy: Three-act Playlet for Children by Esther Watkins Arnold.

The reward varies by country, the family’s economic status, amounts the child’s peers report receiving and other factors. A 2013 survey by Visa Inc. found that American children receive $3.70 per tooth on average. I am amused picturing the folks at VISA taking their survey.  Did they use telemarketers? Surveys by mail for children? Think about it…