My tooth started to wiggle! Last night when I was brushing, I felt something wrong inside my mouth. I scrutinised thorough when I discovered that the lower front tooth was wiggling. I rushed to dadda and said I have to go to the dentist right now! Dadda was surprised since I am very scared to visit the dentist. He asked what happened. I opened my mouth and showed him my wiggling tooth; he smiled and said that’s good news. You’re going to get a visit from the tooth fairy very soon. Tooth Fairy! Who is that?

Then dadda said, each of us lose our childhood teeth and then get permanent teeth. It is a sign that you are growing up. Children usually have 20 baby teeth and the come up one-by-one and when it’s time to go, they go in the same order they come. The lower front teeth are the first to come up, so children usually lose their front lower teeth first. As children grow up the permanent teeth start growing and push the baby teeth; they become loose and finally fall off. Children start losing their teeth from around 6 or 7 years, and since you have almost reached that age, you will lose your baby teeth and have permanent teeth.

But who is a Tooth Fairy, I asked. She is a fairy who needs a lot of teeth to build her castle. She takes away the teeth that fall off and in exchange she gives some money or gifts to the children. So when a tooth falls off, you keep it under your pillow and go off to sleep. The Tooth Fairy comes at some time in the night, gives the gift and takes away the teeth. Dadda said, there are many stories about the Tooth Fairy and people from different parts of the world believe in different traditions. In countries it is Ratocinto Perez or Raton Perez, who collects the teeth in exchange of the fallen teeth.

But, even if it is absolutely normal to lose tooth, we’ll visit the dentist’s office to get a quick check-up. He will tell you how to take care of the new teeth and make sure they last longer. When the new teeth come out, you need to brush twice to make sure no food particles stick to it. Just as mumma told you, the residual food particles turn into plaque causing damage to the teeth. You shouldn’t eat too much candies and sweets since they can also make your teeth decay. Then you need to eat foods that are rich in calcium, to make sure they are strong. A visit to the dentist, once in six months is a must to make sure there are no dental problems. Even if there are, the dentist will identify them and make sure they are fixed immediately.

So now let’s go and tell mumma. She’ll be very happy to know that you are growing up so fast!