The Tooth Fairy

The tooth fairy is a mythical creature that gives children money or gifts in exchange for baby teeth. Typically, children leave a baby tooth that has fallen out under their pillow when they go to sleep, and the tooth fairy comes in the night to take the tooth, replacing it with money.

Historically, many cultures have long had traditions and folklore related to the loss of baby teeth. Often, it was customary to bury the tooth, in order to protect the tooth - and by extension the child - from coming into contact with evil forces. The Vikings, by contrast, would pay a tooth fee to children for their baby teeth, believing that stringing teeth on necklaces around their necks would protect them in battle. Even today, in certain areas, including Italy and Spain, a mouse replaces the fairy as the mythical figure associated with the disappearance of baby teeth. Other cultures continue carrying on various traditions, though the tooth fairy is by far the most popular figure in western culture. The tooth fairy has been an established part of American folklore since approximately 1900.

The tooth fairy continues to be frequently represented in film and literature. In fact, a comedy film titled "Tooth Fairy" starring Dwayne Johnson, Julie Andrews, Ashley Judd and Billy Crystal is set for release in January 2010. Other recent films and television programmes include "The Tooth Fairy", a 2006 horror movie, "The Tooth Fairy Tats 2000", an episode of South Park, and "Toothless", a 1997 children’s movie. Francis Dolarhyde, nicknamed "The Tooth Fairy" because of his penchant for biting on victims bodies, is a fictional serial killer in Thomas Harris's novel, "Red Dragon". Graham Joyce's 1996 award-winning novel, "The Tooth Fairy", depicts the tooth fairy as a character that both haunts and seduces the protagonist.