If we were having coffee, I’d ask: Have you heard of the ‘Tooth Mouse’? If your answer was ‘yes’, I’d have been impressed. If you hadn’t, I would have welcomed you to the club! I can’t believe that I didn’t know that in France, instead of a tooth fairy, there is ‘la petite souris’.

The French “tooth fairy” is a mouse who collects baby teeth from under pillows at night, and replaces them with money or sweets. This tradition is inspired by a 17th-century fairy tale. written by Madame d’Aulnoy, in which a fairy transforms into a mouse to save a queen from an evil king. The mouse hides under his pillow, frightening the king and causing him to lose all his teeth.

As with most fairy tales, the ones about the tooth mouse often vary slightly!

It is not only France that has a tooth mouse. In Spain, El Ratoncito Pérez, also known as Ratón Pérez, collects the baby teeth.

The cultural differences don’t stop there. In many Asian and Middle Eastern cultures, baby teeth are thrown onto the roof for good luck. Upper teeth may be thrown in the air, and bottom teeth on the ground. In South Africa, the baby teeth are placed in slippers.

I know I have readers from all round the world, and perhaps you know of other ‘tooth traditions’? I’d love to know!

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