While the tooth fairy has become a popular figure in the United States, it might surprise a lot of kids (and their parents too) that the tooth fairy isn't actually the only tooth-seeking creature in the world and that she doesn't always look for teeth under pillows. Below is an outline of the different ways that kids treat their baby teeth once they've fallen out depending on where they live in this great big world. You never know when you might lose a tooth in another country so it might be wise to make sure that you're leaving your tooth in the right place!
UNITED STATES: In order to help ease the trauma of losing baby teeth, American kids are paid off for their lost teeth by putting it under their pillow and going to sleep. At some point, a fairy will arrive to exchange the tooth for some cash. Last year, the going rate was an average of $3.70 per tooth!
SPAIN: Ratocinto Perez, aka Raton Perez, aka Perez Mouse, aka El Raton de Los Dientes, is a mouse who collects teeth. Like the tooth fairy, Perez takes the teeth after they’ve been lost and put under a child’s pillow. Perez then replaces it with a gift—not always money—and leaves it to be found in the morning.
ARGENTINA: Similar to Spain, Ratocinto Perez shows up to collect lost teeth. However, the children leave them in a cup of water so that when Perez shows up, he drinks up the water, grabs the tooth, and leaves his gift in the empty glass.
SOUTH AFRICA: Similar to the traditions in the United States, children in South Africa leave their teeth overnight for the tooth fairy. Instead of placing it underneath a pillow, they instead leave them inside their slippers to be found.
FRANCE: Mice aren’t just big business around Spain. The French also abandon their teeth to their very own mouse: “La Bonne Petite Souris.” The tiny mouse will procure teeth left under pillows, replacing them with either cash or sweets.
INDIA, CHINA, JAPAN, KOREA & VIETNAM: Kids who lose teeth from their lower jaw will throw their teeth onto their roof, while upper jaw teeth go on the floor. The idea behind this tradition is that the new tooth will be pulled towards the old tooth. As the teeth are tossed, children yell out a wish that the missing tooth be replaced by the tooth of a mouse. Mice have teeth that continually grow, which is why it’s a smart request for when one goes missing!
IRAQ, JORDAN & EGYPT: In these Middle Eastern countries, children are encouraged to throw their teeth to the sky which is a tradition dating back to the 13th century.
MONGOLIA: It is tradition to put the tooth into some fat and feed it to a dog. This is done because they want the grown up tooth to be as strong as the dog's teeth. If there's no dog, bury it by a tree so that the new tooth has strong roots!
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