The Flutter Blog is Full of Tooth Fairy Tales

As a parent, you wear a lot of hats: gourmet chef, storyteller extraordinaire, piggyback ride giver, homework consultant…and after reading this, you’ll be ready to take on your newest challenge: Dental Hygiene Expert.

But first: the cold, hard facts. Did you know that 10% of two-year-olds already have at least one cavity? And by age three, over a quarter of kids have their first cavity. That number jumps to almost 50% by the age of five. (Learn more about those dreaded cavities.)

So…where do we start?

The answer is your baby’s first teeth – known as primary teeth. Some parents might think cavities in baby teeth are no big deal. They’re going to lose them anyway. But tooth decay in baby teeth can impact permanent teeth.

Primary Teeth – Get Started Early!

While baby teeth may seem like an adorable placeholder for permanent ones, they serve an essential role in keeping a child’s jaw straight and holding space for adult teeth. Primary teeth can help kids learn how to chew, smile, and even talk.

Before baby teeth even appear, it’s a great idea to get in the daily habit of wiping your child’s gums with a soft washcloth. It removes bacteria and starts them off with a regular dental routine. When those first teeth finally pop out, we suggest brushing twice a day for two minutes, using just a tiny bit of fluoride toothpaste — about the size of a grain of rice. And always use an ultra-soft toothbrush. Also…

• Watch that bottle! Putting a child to bed with a bottle of juice, milk, or formula can quickly lead to tooth decay.
• Don’t forget the dentist. Your pediatrician will probably check your child’s teeth – and may refer you to a pediatric dentist. But be sure to schedule that first dental checkup before your child’s first birthday – or after the first baby tooth has arrived.

By the age of three, your child should have all 20 primary teeth. Then you have about a three-year delay before visits from the Tooth Fairy start becoming a thing. At this point, your child is learning to brush – and developing dental habits to last a lifetime. Now is where your impact as a dental hygiene expert gets even more prominent. 

The Art of Proper Tooth Brushing (and So Much More)

Make sure your child brushes for at least two minutes twice a day, using a pea-sized dab of fluoride toothpaste. Up and down? Back and forth? Circles? It doesn’t matter. You want to give each tooth a thorough cleaning. Most kids only focus on the front teeth and need help reaching those pesky back teeth. In fact, many will need help brushing their teeth altogether up until the age of 6 or 7, so constant supervision and a lot of parental participation is your best bet.

Need help getting them to brush for the entire two minutes? Set a timer, or better yet, play their favorite song to help keep track of time. (Get more fun brushing ideas!

Now that you’re a dental superstar, you know many moving parts go into creating and nurturing a healthy smile. Things like:

• Flossing: best to start as soon as your child’s teeth touch.
• Dental visits: schedule an appointment every six months. The more regular your child’s visits are at an early age, the less stressful future visits will be.
• Mouthwash: a great addition to the routine, but no gulping down that minty freshness!
• Sugar: you’ve heard it before, but limit sweets, especially sticky, sugary treats that can get quite attached to your child’s teeth (and turn into little cavity factories)!
• Outside protection: establish a “no chew” list for your kiddo, metal, and plastic objects for starters. And when it comes to bikes, scooters, and skateboards, always throw on a helmet.

Congrats, you’re now an official Dental Hygiene Expert (feels good, doesn’t it?). Why not join the conversation today by following us on Facebook and Instagram? If you know a child who lost their tooth, have them send the tooth fairy a letter and get an email reply!

Keeping the Magic of the Tooth Fairy Alive

The magic of the tooth fairy is honored by many parents as a way to help their kids ease into a new phase of growing up. Losing a first tooth can be painful, scary, and sometimes totally unexpected. Leveraging a child’s sense of wonder and magic to put a positive spin on this time of uncertainty can make it easier on everyone.

Once tooth loss is underway, however, a parent’s commitment can really be put to the test! If a child is losing several teeth in a short time, even the most experienced tooth fairy can struggle to keep up. It’s not uncommon for the tooth fairy to need a creative excuse for not making it in time. If a child still believes in the tooth fairy, even a slip up can be effectively framed to keep the belief alive. This phase of parenthood is temporary, so we encourage you to embrace it and have fun with it as long as your child’s imagination is being fed.

When the Tooth Fairy is Suspect, but Not Yet Disproved

Last night’s tooth exchange was clumsy and noisy. A conversation on the school bus highlights some inconsistencies. An older sibling begins taunting with suggestive hints. At some point, your child will get the feeling that the tooth fairy might not be so magical after all. This realization can come at any time, but not every child is ready to give up the fantasy. Many kids are more than happy to stay in the magic a little longer, and we encourage parents to support this.

Childhood is short, and the tooth fairy lives in an even shorter span within that time, so we at FlutterPop think kids should get to believe in the magic as long as it works for them. Even when kids know the truth, they often want to keep up the myth just because they like knowing that mom or dad is doing something special just for them. During this time of limbo, keep the secret and wear those wings a little longer.

The Light Shines on the Tooth Truth

Almost every child knows the truth of the tooth fairy long before the last tooth is lost. While great care and planning can go into keeping the magic alive with mythical creatures who visit once a year, it’s next to impossible to keep the charade going during high volume tooth loss periods. When kids actually start asking the hard questions, most parents are tired enough to go ahead and gently tell the truth. Generally, kids are over the fear and uncertainty of losing teeth by the time they learn the facts, so it should not be a very traumatic realization.

At this point, parents are in a great position to pivot their kids’ focus to maintaining great oral health and being responsible with tooth fairy rewards. If you are enjoying the digital resources that FlutterPop has to offer, keep your kids engaged by reading our blog together.

Make sure your kids know that once they discover the truth, they are inducted into the tooth fairy’s own secret society. As a member of the society, it is their duty to protect the identity and magic of the tooth fairy to younger kids who still believe in her. This ushers in yet another phase of growing up for your child, where you can encourage maturity while stoking the imagination. We’ll bring the fairy dust!

FlutterPop wants to help parents keep the magic of the tooth fairy alive, particularly in the digital age! If you are as excited as we are about the fun of tooth fairy magic, follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Baby teeth, sometimes called “primary teeth,” are like a trial run, a practice round in dental care before moving on to the big leagues, a set of forever teeth. These tiny chompers aren’t just for brushing practice and munching healthy snacks, though – they also form a direct connection to the Tooth Fairy. But before our favorite dental sprite can come fluttering into you and your child’s life, those teeth will have to come out. Losing baby teeth is a totally natural part of growing up, but it can also be an anxiety-inducing experience. But here’s the good news: the more you know about baby teeth, the better you can prepare for losing their departure. We’ve got you covered – here’s a crash course on all things baby teeth.

How many are there?

Take a peek inside your child’s mouth and, if all the baby teeth have come in, you can expect to find eight incisors (four top, four bottom), four canines (two top, two bottom), and eight molars (four top, four bottom). That’s a grand total of – drum roll, please – twenty baby teeth. You can expect the incisors to emerge first at 6-12 months, followed by the canines at 16-23 months, with the molars bringing up the rear at 13-33 months. Check out this handy chart from the American Dental Association for a visual representation.

When will baby teeth fall out?

Typically, baby teeth follow a “first in, first out” pattern, so in most cases, the central incisors are the first teeth a child loses at age 6 or 7 (on average). After the first one drops, the other three central incisors fall out in rapid succession. This is why you’ll often see adorable kid smiles with big gaps where their front teeth belong, just like in the 1944 Christmas song “All I want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth.” So when that first tooth starts to wiggle, prepare for a few Tooth Fairy visits in a row. After the incisors, the teeth work their way back. Most often, canines fall out next, followed by molars, but this isn’t always the case. It depends on which teeth emerged first.

Why do they fall out?

It might be scary to see a small bone fall out of your mouth, but assure your child that this isn’t just normal, it’s exciting! It means that the Tooth Fairy is coming soon and that means one step closer to forever teeth. The role of baby teeth is to develop the oral cavities so that permanent teeth can grow into them. As a forever tooth begins its descent, it pushes its baby tooth counterpart farther and farther down until boom, it pops out. Then, the forever tooth continues its downward journey until firmly rooted in place. The Tooth Fairy gets another baby tooth, and in return, your child gets a permanent one and a magical gift. 

How do you care for them?

Brush, brush, brush! The most important part of keeping baby teeth clean is equipping your child with a healthy teeth toolkit – toothbrush, fluoride toothpaste, themed flossers, mouth rinse – and encouraging them to brush at least twice a day. Because they’re much smaller than forever teeth, baby teeth often have wider gaps between them and don’t require flossing. However, as the permanent teeth begin to come in, help your child get in a flossing habit to clean between any teeth that touch. Diet can also have a huge influence on the health of baby teeth. Try to limit heavily sugary or acidic food and beverages like soda. Baby teeth are sensitive so sugar can accelerate enamel breakdown and cause cavities. Even if you and your child have a perfect routine and follow all of these guidelines, semi-annual trips to the dentist can help make sure you stay on the right track, especially when those baby teeth start falling out. 

There you have it, all the essential knowledge about baby teeth. You’re basically an expert now, and with the Tooth Fairy on your side, you’re ready to guide your child through the process of losing their pearly whites. Receive more guides like this one by following us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The situation: you’re a devoted parent and lover of family traditions. That means you’re probably looking at a future visit from the Tooth Fairy. It’s the classic exchange of lost teeth for cold, hard cash. But deep down, your inner parent may be saying, “Does it have to be money? Shouldn’t I try to teach my children other values?”

We’ve got your covered.

After all, a visit from the Tooth Fairy isn’t about doling out some dental-themed allowance. It’s about celebrating a mini-milestone in a child’s life and creating an experience they’ll remember forever.

Here’s a handy roundup of some of the best cash-free Tooth Fairy alternatives out there. 

1 – The personal touch. A handwritten note from the Tooth Fairy can be worth its weight in gold fillings. It might say “Thank you for taking care of your teeth,” or “Congratulations on the smile upgrade,” or it might just serve as an encouraging reminder to keep up with their brushing habits. Style tips: think small, and then think a little smaller. Tiny writing on tiny paper and a little dusting of glitter can make that note look extra magical.

2 – Extreme couponing! This one’s a great way to save some dough – and spend some quality time with your child. Pick something that they love to do, and create a special coupon redeemable for that occasion. Try ideas like a trip to the zoo, the park, or the movies. Let your imagination run wild (limit one per customer).

3 – Epic equipment upgrade. Okay, it doesn’t have to be epic, but leaving a little gift like a brand new toothbrush and toothpaste set with your child’s favorite cartoon or movie characters on it can put a fun spin on dental hygiene. 

4 –  Invest in Fairy Currency. Who says you can’t roll up your sleeves and make your own version of magical cash? Hit those bills with a little glitter hairspray, or throw some adhesive and glitter dust on your loose change, and your kids get a fun cash alternative that they can save up or exchange for prizes (Note: this does not constitute financial advice. You should always consult a licensed investment professional when looking to diversify your Fairy Portfolio).

5 – The Mystery Puzzle. Stay with us on this one, because it’s more of a long-game kind of situation. Who doesn’t like solving a mystery? And even better if the end of the mystery has a satisfying conclusion. Let’s start at the end and work backwards. Maybe you want to give your child a special gift as a thank you for consistent brushing. Bury that gift in the backyard, then write simple clues to the spot. Then – wait for it – cover the clue sheet in something sparkly, and cut it into puzzle pieces. Each time your child gets a visit from the Tooth Fairy, another piece of the puzzle is revealed, and your child takes one step closer to finding the lost treasure. Pro tip: we’re big on dental hygiene, so don’t bury a toothbrush in your backyard – just trust us on that. 

Now that you’ve got a few exciting ideas to mull over, it’s important to remember what this is really all about – sharing a sense of wonder and discovery with your children. And if you end up with an extra bottle or two of glitter, how great is that?

Want more ideas about caring for your kid’s teeth? Jump into the conversation over on Facebook and Instagram.