Did you grow up giving your pearly whites to the Tooth Fairy? Would she also leave a bit of money under your pillow in exchange for the tooth? If so, you probably grew up in the United States. Our Tooth Fairy custom is exciting for us, and other countries have their own customs for getting rid of baby teeth.
In India, Korea, Nepal, the Philippines and Vietnam, children throw teeth lost from their lower jaw onto the roof and lost pearly whites from the upper jaw under the floor of their home, all while shouting a wish that their tooth be replaced by a mouse’s tooth; rodent teeth continually grow. In Japan and China, children toss their lost lower teeth upwards and their lost upper teeth downwards, from time to time even burying them. This is done as a symbol to plead with the adult teeth to grow in straight and in the appropriate direction. In Sri Lanka, children toss their pearly whites when a squirrel is near, asking it to swap their lost tooth with a permanent one.
You can call 704-688-1664 to have the University Pediatric Dentistry team pencil in a Charlotte, North Carolina, checkup with Dr. M. Danielle Funny for you. We can’t wait to see you in our office soon!