The tooth fairie cometh

Six weeks before Mattea's 6th birthday, she lost her first tooth.

As is often the case, it was one of the first teeth she got.



This tooth liked Mattea very much. I think it first started "getting wiggly" before Thanksgiving. At least it seems that way, looking back at it.

As first tooth loss stories go, it has no drama. It lacks tension. The protagonist offered no compelling reason to want him to stay. Although - there was some pain involved. Stories involving pain maintain a certain level of interest in their presentation. The pain though, was not in the loss of the tooth, but in two other areas.

Leading up to the loss of the tooth, the story progressed from that of the reliable central incisor, to "it hurts when I chew"; Mattea's gum had became inflamed. Interestingly enough, the same analgesic applied to the gum when the tooth arrived became the same salve applied at the tooth's imminent departure.

Soon, the cutting edge of another tooth could be seen behind Mattea's loose tooth. It seemed impatient for the old tooth to go, and just could not wait to take its place.

One day, I went to ESS (after school care) to pick Mattea up, and when I did, the assistant director told me that Mattea had lost her tooth. Mattea was very excited when she saw me. Apparently these things happen all the time (I suppose they would with that many kids around), so they were prepared and offered Mattea a hollow plastic tooth locket necklace to take her tooth home with her.

When I asked Mattea how her tooth fell out, she said that she was talking to one of her teachers at ESS, and her tooth just fell out while she was talking! I don't believe that I ever knew of a tooth that just fell out, although I imagine that it probably happens all the time.

Mattea's second instance of pain occurred the following morning. Mattea had placed her tooth under her pillow, inside her tooth locket necklace. She came into our room crying. When we asked her why she was crying, she said the tooth fairie took her tooth, necklace and all! I asked if she had left anything in return for the tooth and Mattea said "No!"

Now I had never heard of the tooth fairie not leaving anything in place of a tooth, but I suppose occasionally it could happen. Mattea had already checked under her pillow. I accompanied Mattea back into her room and together we looked around and under her bed to see what we could see. Mattea moves around quite a bit when she sleeps. I discovered, on the floor near the head of her bed, the now empty necklace and a one dollar bill. Apparently, in Mattea's sleep, they had been displaced from under her pillow.

And now it seems the second tooth that arrived is also starting to work loose. Details to follow...