Author tracks tooth customs around the world

By Lynn Taylor Rick, Journal staff | Wednesday, February 27, 2008

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Years ago when her daughter lost a tooth, Selby Beeler became intrigued when a Brazilian houseguest had never heard of the Tooth Fairy.

Instead, the woman remembered throwing her baby teeth into the family garden.

So began Beeler’s search for Tooth Fairy traditions from around the world, which resulted in her 1998 book, “Throw Your Tooth on the Roof: Tooth Traditions Around the World.”

Beeler, who lives in Rochester, Minn., said the Brazilian tradition “started me out.”

Soon, she was asking taxi drivers from Nigeria and Kuwaiti visitors to Rochester about their tooth traditions.

“Everywhere I went, people who spoke with an accent I would say, ‘Excuse me, I have a strange question,’” she said.

Almost all of the people were more than willing to share their countries’ traditions. “You would see these people kind of rewind their lives and generally, you got smiles,” she said.

Since she lives in Rochester, home of the Mayo Clinic, Beeler already had access to people from all around the world. But she also e-mailed people from numerous other countries, going through the United Nations country listing.

Beeler never found out where the Tooth Fairy tradition began but suspects it comes from countries such as Ireland and England, where fairy traditions originated. Beeler said that the tradition of the tooth fairy leaving money appears to be an American one.

A lot of the baby teeth traditions involved mice and other rodents. Beeler said because the teeth of rodents never quit growing, their teeth are considered strong. “Lots of places in Africa involve rodents,” she said. “I think it’s because you want your child to have strong teeth and they (rodents) have strong teeth.”

Other traditions included throwing the tooth on the roof, throwing it at the sun and even rolling the tooth in bread.

Since its publication by Houghton Mifflin, “Throw Your Tooth on the Roof” also has been published in Japan, Taiwan, Korea and Greece. It was named Children’s Choices Selection in 1999 and a part of Minnesota Storytime. Beeler believes the book has been so much fun for people since the experience of losing a tooth is a universal one.

“It’s been such a fun first book because it seems to have taken on a life of its own,” she said. “It was such a delight to find out these traditions.”

Contact Lynn Taylor Rick at 394-8414 or lynn.taylorrick@rapidcityjournal.com.