Can you fool the tooth fairy

Can you fool the tooth fairy?

43 Replies

This week at the Carrot Ranch, Charli Mills discussed important things in life including attitudes to aging. She challenged writers to In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story about growing older. It can be humorous, dark or poignant. It can be true or total fiction. It can be fine wine or an old fossil. Go where the prompt leads!

Carrot Ranch flash fiction challenge - ageing

Most of my work as a teacher has been with children who are experiencing one of the earliest physical signs of growing older — losing their baby teeth and growing adult teeth. The loss of these teeth is usually accompanied by great excitement, especially with the expectation that the tooth may be replaced with a coin by the tooth fairy.

lost tooth - Artie Feb 13 16

I previously wrote about the world’s diversity of traditions dealing with the loss of children’s baby teeth in A tooth for a tooth. That post also contains a flash story involving some gappy children’s smiles that help to cross barriers.

When I was growing up, many of my grandparents’ generation had false teeth or dentures that they left in a glass of water by their bedside when they were sleeping. With improved dental hygiene over the years, those numbers are now decreasing. This aspect of growing older — losing teeth whether at six or sixty-six — made me wonder if the tooth fairy might be fooled by false teeth and whether a creative child may have once tried to raise money that way.

Great-Grandmama’s Teeth

The sound like freight trains roaring through a tunnel assured Billy Great-Grandmama was asleep. He turned the doorknob ever so slowly, pushed the door gently and slipped into the darkened room. A chink of light bounced off the glass at the bedside. He daren’t breathe as he tiptoed over. Three quick whistles and he froze. The cavern with wibbly wobbly edges stretched wide. Would she wake? No, but better be quick. He lowered his fingers into the glass and withdrew his prize. All that was left was to fool the fairies and he’d buy his Mum that birthday cake.

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43 thoughts on “Can you fool the tooth fairy?”

    1. Norah Post author

      Thank you for your lovely comment, Dayne. Sounds almost as if I could have used your grandma as inspiration for my story, but I used my son’s grandmother (Mother in Law). I guess there are few of those snorers around. I’m not one yet, and hopefully won’t be. 🙂

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  3. Jules

    I thought I’d read this… but I missed that last part about the birthday cake 🙂
    I do remember teeth in a jar at night, especially one grandmother. A grandfather in later years sprung for implants to get rid of his mouthful of bad teeth.

    Liked by 1 person

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  8. Christy B

    Ohhhh trying to pull one over on the tooth fairy! That flash fiction made me laugh ~ Especially as granny seems to be a snorer 😉 I have fond tooth fair memories. Smiling now 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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  10. Prior...

    Such delightful humor – and you are right – less denture teeth these days – and maybe part of that is because of implants and other tech – my father n law has a lower plate that looks like a retainer – so high tech

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Norah Post author

      I guess the tech is an added bonus. I think dentists have to suggest such things in order to make their money now that oral hygiene has improved.
      I wonder if they’ll be seeking out the tooth fairy next. LOL

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      1. Prior...

        haha – that is so funny about the tooth fairy —
        and aide note – I think too often they offer root canals without giving the teeth time to repair – my son’s gf was told she needed two root canals on her front teeth – and five years later they are strong and fine.
        ugh – they are to quick to do surgery at the dentist and hospital

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        1. Norah Post author

          Thanks, Yvette. I’m pleased you enjoyed the story. I was interested in your comment about root canals. I think we are over-serviced in many areas. I guess they have to make their money somehow.

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          1. Prior...

            yes – and this is not the time – but some folks with chronic illnesses have recovered after getting rid of their root canals (and other immune boosting stuff) – hmmmm
            and hope you have a nice day Norah

            Liked by 1 person

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  11. thecontentedcrafter

    Ha,ha – things fall out, off, down and out as we age! I guess we are lucky that we have better health options available to us than even a half century ago. I like that Billie had altruistic reasons for the theft of great grandmama’s teeth – but feel some concern over what happens to the poor old gal if the tooth fairy is fooled 🙂

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  14. Hugh's Views and News

    I remember both my mother and father having false teeth and how they left them in a glass of water on their nightstands when sleeping, Norah. My last surviving aunt, who is 92, still does this, and puts curlers in her hair and covers them with a hairnet every night before going to bed.
    Your character Billy certainly had ambition and a drive to make some money. Good for him. I wish I had thought about the idea he came up with.

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    1. Norah Post author

      Isn’t it wonderful that your aunt still looks after her appearance – old habits.
      Billy was clever. You probably had your own ideas for earning money, too, Hugh.

      Liked by 1 person

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  16. Anne Goodwin (Annecdotist)

    Wonderful interpretation of the prompt, Norah! Good for Billy, but the prospect of false teeth might be my greatest fear about ageing. Feel nauseous even thinking about it. Still, it would have been worse in those long gone days of wooden teeth and the like.

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    1. Norah Post author

      Thanks, Anne. I don’t think dentures would be much fun. Hopefully the younger generations have had better oral hygiene. I haven’t thought about them as a possibility. Mainly because, I don’t want to think about it! 🙂

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