Some people collect stamps and some people collect dolls. I even have a small collection of Pendefin Rabbits. However, my biggest collection and the one I am most proud of is my nearly complete collection of pearly white baby teeth. Now, before you get totally grossed out, let me assure you that saving baby teeth is completely normal (isn't it?).
I remember when my oldest son's first tooth fell out and he placed it so proudly under his pillow. I was so excited to take on this new role of "tooth fairy". I couldn't wait until he fell asleep and then tip toe so quietly into his room, staring at his angelic sleeping face as I gently slipped my hand under the pillow to retrieve the little baggy containing the tiny tooth and then replacing it with a silver dollar. When he woke with such delight to see the coin had replaced his tooth, it brought such joy to this mom. Now four kids later, I will admit that being the tooth fairy is sometimes a drag and a job I have indeed failed at! There has been the occasion where, after a glass (or two) of wine, I just plain went to bed and forgot to do the tooth fairy thing. Fortunately for me, my kids can be dense. When they wake up to find the tooth still there and no money, and come shrieking down the stairs...I am quick to recover! I grab some money from my purse when the hysterical kid isn't looking and go with them upstairs to rummage around in the bed sheets to indeed find some cash that I put in there quickly with one hand while calming said child with the other. With a lame, but believable, excuse that the tooth fairy left the tooth there because she wanted them to keep it, or she just couldn't find it, or she was in a hurry to get to the next house, my kid is happy and "believing" again.
My collection is nearly complete. My daughter only has one more baby tooth left and the twins aren't far behind. So what does one do with such a collection? Right now it cannot be proudly displayed in a curio cabinet as the "believers" at my house would wonder why the teeth weren't carried off in the night by a tiny winged girl in a frilly dress. For now they are kept in a red pouch in my dresser drawer (yes with the quarter my daughter swallowed). I could have them made into jewelry, but holy cow that is gross and even hard for me to fathom. http://www.leknockout.com/ And in case you still think I'm a nut case for not just throwing them away there was an article not too long ago that talked about the pulp in baby teeth and future stem cell research (see it isn't just out of sentimentality that I keep this kinda stuff).
According to the 2010 Tooth Fairy Poll (yes there is such a thing) 1,500 parents nationwide were surveyed about tooth fairy giving and dental habits in their households, the going rate for a tooth is $2.13. So to my girlfriend that gave her kid $20 once because that's all she had in her purse, I hope you are reading this and I hope you know kids talk and my children tell me every time they lose a tooth about the day Madeline got this kinda cash from the tooth fairy!!! But I'm not bitter...really. Anyway, the poll didn't ask what these households do with the teeth. I want to know what everyone else does with the teeth! So I am taking my own informal, and not so nationwide, poll and you can feel free to comment and put this in your response.
I believe the baby teeth I collected over the years joined the dead and nearly dead goldfish that took the final swim down the toilet drain.
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