National Tooth Fairy Day – August 22, 2025

History of National Tooth Fairy Day

There are three figures that are the pillars of modern mythology for children—Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy. While the first two are well documented and discussed, not much is known about our elusive flying friend. But the Tooth Fairy is quite popular because every night children around the world excitedly anticipate the Tooth Fairy’s arrival after they have lost a tooth. 

The origin of fairies dates back to 13th-century England when they were described for the first time by Gervase of Tilbury. The tradition of a child receiving a gift for a lost tooth can be traced back to medieval Europe. In a collection of writings called the “Eddas” about the Norse and Northern European traditions, there is a reference to a ‘tand fe,’ which directly translates to ‘tooth fee.’ As part of this tradition, children would receive a small fee from their parents when they lost their first tooth. This is because teeth were a symbol of good luck and prosperity. Some Viking warriors would even wear a string of teeth as a necklace during battle to protect them.

The closest counterpart of the modern Tooth Fairy came in the form of an 18th-century French fairytale, “La Bonne Petite Souris” (“The Little Good Mouse”). However, the first written American record of a reference to the ‘Tooth Fairy’ dates back to a 1908 “Chicago Tribune” article in which the author, Lillian Brown, provided parents with a magical suggestion on how to get their children to have their loose milk teeth pulled. That suggestion was, you guessed it, telling their kids that the Tooth Fairy would leave five cents under their pillow for every tooth they lost. In 1927, an eight-page script for a children’s play titled “The Tooth Fairy” was written by Esther Watkins Arnold. The play became widely popular, with schools reenacting it and imaginations being stirred with thoughts of a tooth fairy collecting teeth in exchange for money or presents. Since then, the Tooth Fairy has become a global phenomenon, reportedly paying visits to children in the U.K., Canada, and Australia.

Just like the mystery surrounding the fairy, the origin of the holiday is just as mysterious. Someone somewhere created National Tooth Fairy Day to be celebrated in August but in the lives of children who are losing their baby teeth, the Tooth Fairy is celebrated all year round, as they partake in the enchanting experience of receiving visits and surprises from the Tooth Fairy for every tooth they lose.