Goodbye Baby Teeth: Celebrating The Tooth Fairy's Last Visit

Babies are born with all of their primary teeth located in their jaws. Big teeth start popping through their gums between 6 months old and 1 year. It's not until they are around 6 years old that they start losing their baby teeth. And their last tooth usually comes out around ages 10-12.

Even if your child is too old to believe in the tooth fairy, you can still celebrate their last tooth fairy visit in an extraordinary way.

We've consulted with the tooth fairy and are excited to share these smile-friendly ideas with you. We hope they make you and your child remember this special milestone.

Here are our favorite ideas:

• Keep the tooth and make a special place for it. Make a pillow or box so your kid can keep their last baby tooth safe and sound. Using craft supplies, let them play with felt, glitter, stickers, paint, markers, ribbon, or anything else you have to decorate with. At night, put the tooth in their special homemade container. Don't forget to include a note asking the tooth fairy's permission to keep the tooth.
• Write a thank-you note to the tooth fairy. The tooth fairy has done a lot for your child over the years. And it's time to say "thank you" and to wish her continued success in her career. Since it'll be your child's last tooth fairy letter, encourage them to make it extra special.
• Make a certificate of success from the tooth fairy. Create a certificate of completion for your child from the tooth fairy for losing their very last baby tooth. Include the tooth fairy's official signature as well as a special fairy-approved frame.
• Make a toothless collage. Aren't photos of your child without their teeth precious? We think so. Collect old photos of your child with missing teeth, print them out, and make a collage of all of the best ones. It'll be a fun way to remember all those teeth-less good times.
• Try to catch the tooth fairy in action. On the night, your child loses their last tooth, stay up late with them and try to catch a glimpse of the tooth fairy on the job. If you don't fall asleep first, leave some glitter on your child's pillow to prove that the tooth fairy came for a visit.

Now that your child has adult teeth, we encourage you to help them keep up with their daily oral care. That means brushing two times a day, flossing daily, and visiting the dentist regularly. We encourage you to supervise them until you're confident in their ability to take the best care of their teeth.

However, you choose to celebrate this important milestone in your child's life, we wish you joy and creativity in the process. And now that your child has big kid teeth, we also wish them excellent daily oral care. Congratulations to your big kid. We hope our ideas for celebrating the tooth fairy's last visit bring you and your family big smiles!

This article is intended to promote understanding of and knowledge about general oral health topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your dentist or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.