We’d like to take a moment this week to thank a colleague who has dedicated herself to her dental duties, and without whose work we just couldn’t do our job. While we’re cleaning and polishing (and, yes, occasionally drilling), she’s out there every night on the front lines, flying around Toronto (not to mention the rest of the world) and helping kids transition to the smile they’ll have for the rest of their life. And she finances the whole operation out-of-pocket.
We’re talking, of course, about the Tooth Fairy: the original house-call-making dentist. While we get all the glory, she doesn’t even get a word of thanks. In fact, some people even doubt her existence. But answer us this: if she doesn’t exist, then who’s leaving all that pillow cash? No answer? Didn’t think so.
There’s Money in Those Molars
It’s one of the steadiest trades in history, an exchange that makes the TSX look like chump change. A tooth goes under the pillow and money comes out. Simple as that.
The Tooth Fairy has been guaranteeing the value of your child’s chompers for thousands of years. In fact, in the Edda the earliest Scandinavian text there’s mention of the tand-fé, or “tooth fee,” delivered to good little Viking boys and girls who lost a tooth.
Our fairy friend has been running this operation for quite a while, and inflation has hit her like it’s hit everyone. T.F. Quarterly (a trade periodical) tells us that the rate for a tooth is nearly five dollars these days a far cry from the quarter we were grateful to get growing up. But here’s a tip straight from our friend: the Tooth Fairy pays top dollar for well-brushed, well-flossed teeth. Not that she won’t take teeth of all shapes and sizes, but she does know quality when she sees it.
The Big Question
Of course, there’s one thing that everyone wants to know: what does she do with them all? The answer might surprise you just about everything. You see, healthy teeth are remarkable. They’re tough, sharp and strong, not to mention quite pretty. Our body has produced a real work of art with our teeth, and the Tooth Fairy knows this, which is why so much of Tooth Fairy society revolves around them. They’re used to build homes, pave roads, make jewelry and a whole lot more. This, of course, is why the Tooth Fairy wants healthy teeth. What did you expect? That she just puts them in a sack somewhere and forgets about them? That would be kind of creepy. She’s not a collector, she’s an entrepreneur.
Spread the Word about the Tooth Fairy
Keep your family in the loop when it comes to the Tooth Fairy. When your little one thinks that he or she might have some merchandise ready to trade, it’s always a good idea to conduct an appraisal. Sure, it may look like a pretty valuable tooth, but you could absolutely drive the price up with a few days of really healthy eating and some careful brushing. Once they see how they can affect the market with some good oral care, they might even see their teeth as an investment a pearly portfolio with a ready buyer.
And if your little ones want to write a quick letter to check in on what’s happening in Tooth Fairy land, they can always drop it off with us at their next appointment! We would be more than happy to make sure she gets it.
