Do you ever wonder if other countries and cultures have tooth fairies? Well, some of them do, and some of them have other interesting tooth traditions, and we are thrilled to tell you all about them!
Argentina
In Argentina, there is a small mouse that rewards children when they lose their teeth. This mouse’s name is Raton Perez. Once a child loses their tooth, they put their tooth in a glass of water on their nightstand as they sleep. During the night, Perez visits the child, drinks the water (because he’s so parched from all his tooth-collecting jobs), takes the tooth, and leaves a small gift in the cup for the child.
Mongolia
Mongolians don’t have a Tooth Fairy, but they do, however, have a tradition that helps them grow into a strong and healthy smile. When a child loses their tooth, they wrap it in a piece of fat or a piece of meat and they feed it to a dog. This gesture means that they hope to have strong teeth, just like dogs. If there isn’t a dog around, they bury their tooth under a tree and they wish for strong roots.
France
In France, there is a kind mouse named La Bonne Petite Souris that rewards children for losing their teeth. When a child loses a tooth, they place the tooth under their pillow and wait for Petite Souris to visit. As they sleep, the mouse comes into the room, takes the tooth, and leaves candy or money under the pillow to surprise the child when they wake up.
Turkey
The people in Turkey don’t have a Tooth Fairy, but they do have a tooth tradition that helps them achieve their goals and dreams in the future. Children and parents believe that teeth hold their future, so the parents bury the child’s lost tooth wherever they wish their child will be one day. For example, if a parent wants their child to be a dentist, they will bury the tooth in the gardens of a dental school or dental office. If they want their child to be a great soccer player, they will bury the tooth in a soccer field.
El Salvador
The people in El Salvador have the same tradition as those of the United States, except their Tooth Fairy is a rabbit. When the child loses their tooth, they put the tooth underneath their pillow before they go to bed. As they sleep, the rabbit will visit them and will replace the tooth with money.