Tooth awareness began for us when my daughter turned three and had her first dental appointment. I wish that Marianne Borgardt's Going to the Dentist had existed . Not that our visit was traumatic, but Going to the Dentist is such a fun pop-up. There is much information revealed in terms of dentist's role, instruments, x-ray, sealants, and proper brushing. Each page is not only filled with straightforward facts, but parts that move in all directions highlighting the fun of dental care. Ages 3-6. (Simon and Schuster, 1991)
Sometimes as early as five, children's tooth issues arrive. They usually begin when children worry that they will never loose their teeth.
Marc Brown's beloved character, Arthur suffers with this problem in Arthur's Tooth. Everyone around him is losing teeth and as a result his classmates are making money, having squirting contests, playing tooth fairy games and the cruel Francine is labeling him a baby. Though reassured by his dentist that his time will come, Arthur is still dissatisfied until a nasty bump from Francine dislodges his tooth and his problem. Ages 4-8. (Little Brown, 1985)
Norman, an alligator who envies his friends that have been visited by the Tooth Fairy, decides to hoodwink her in Norman Fools the Tooth Fairy by Carol Carrick. Until he imagines a frightening fairy at which point his desire disappears and fear and sleeplessness take over. Of course, almost in response, he loses his tooth. The tired gator is reassured by his mother, falls fast asleep and wakes to a new quarter in the morning! Included in the book are clues about tooth care. Ages 4-8. Scholastic, 1992)
Often the opposite issue arises. A child is afraid when a tooth is loose. Martin Silverman's My Tooth is Loose! is part of the Hello Reading series. It is a perfect subject and age match for very often tooth loss and reading gain come together. Georgie has a loose tooth and repeats throughout, "I don't know what to do!" He is advised in turn by five friends on methods of removal. Each suggestion fills him with fear until he runs to his calming mother who tells him that his tooth will come out by itself which of course it does by the book's end. Ages 4-7. (Penguin, 1991)
Another childhood fear surrounds the tooth fairy. For Rosie, in Rosie's Baby Tooth, Rosie mourns the loss of her "pretty" tooth and is uncomfortable with the thought that it might be removed by the tooth fairy. She hides the tooth away. Her comforting father helps her write a note to leave under her pillow to explain the situation. The kindly reassuring tooth fairy writes a note promising to put the tooth (if found) on a golden chain so that it can be worn forever. The next morning a golden chain appears for the found tooth and Rosie is once again happy. Illustrations by Melissa Sweet have detailing that add to the warmth and realness of Rosie's listening rabbit family. Ages 4-7. (Atheneum, 1991)
Charlie, the hero of Nicholas Heller's The Tooth Tree, feels he's "too old" to leave his tooth for the fairy and buries it instead in the backyard where "it will be safe." In the middle of the night, Charlie's awakened by the growth of a tooth tree that is eating everything in sight. He's rescued by the tooth fairy who magics away the destructive tree, explaning that this is a natural result of burying teeth instead of leaving them under a pillow. His faith renewed, Charlie digs up his tooth only to find that it's missing and a shiny quarter remains in its place. Readers can count on Nicholas Heller to create a zany tale with silly illustrations that make perfect comforting for children. Ages 4-7. (Greenwillow, 1991)
A tooth fairy becomes real in Suanne Kopald's Serina's First Flight: A Tooth Fairy's Tale. Instead of trying to prove a fairy's existence by human standards, the author-illustrator weaves a magic tale of the adventurous Serina and her mischevious elf friend Teague. Through mishaps, on her maiden flight, Serina loses her shiny coins to the evil sorceress Tzigora. In a night full of adventure, Serina gains not only tooth fairy status, but the sorceress' crown, set with the most precious gems in fairyland, "perfect, polished teeth of a first flight." Ages 4-8. (Thomasson-Grant, 1991)
Birdseye, Tom, Airmail To The Moon(Holiday House, 1988)
A young girl steeped in the richness of coloquial language and imagination accuses everyone, including the tooth fairy, of stealing her tooth...until she finds it in her pocket. (Ages 5-8)
Linn, Margot, A Trip to the Dentist (HarperCollins, 1988)
A small girl visits the dentist. Discoveries of elements of the visit are revealed in a question-answer format with folded pages revealing the answers that extend the questions and invite participation. Ages 3-6
Krementz, Jill, Taryn Goes to the Dentist ((Crown, 1986)
A photographic journal of a young girl's first visit to the dentist. Good introduction to process, warm environment filled with books, a tooth song, and lots of play. (Ages 3-5)
Kuklin, Susan, When I See My Dentist (Bradbury, 1988)
Photographs and a longer text allow more detailing of instruments and processes and education about the why's of tooth care (including cavities, the purpose and use of floride, and x-rays) (Ages 4-8)
Rogers, Fred, Going to the Dentist, (Putnam, 1989)
Begins by providing a nurturing envirnment beginning with home talk, role play and maybe even bringing a comforting friend to the dentist on a first visit. The visit is broken into tiny pieces of discussion to eliminate fears and strangeness. The book begins with a foreward to parents with some important and well-thought out coaching (Ages 3-6)