Keeping Baby Teeth

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

04 Apr 2008 10:06 AM

Here at the Romans family home, we have been experiencing a new milestone. My first born is now old enough to start losing his teeth. This has been an exciting time here. The bottom two teeth are now gone, off in tooth fairy land, traded for two shiny gold dollar coins. But it has me wondering, is it worth storing those baby teeth for years to come?

I admit that I am torn. My husband thinks that it is pretty gross to save these teeth. This was said by the man who religiously kept almost every bloody band aid from our this same son's ordeal in the hospital as an infant.

After all, he says, what ever will they be used for later? Are we to keep any body parts that fall off? I point out that except for the baby teeth, I can't imagine any other body parts falling off in the near future. What about hair or nail clippings? Well, we do have some hair from the first hair cut, although truthfully, neither of us know for sure where it wound up after we moved. And, I can't image the nail clippings. Maybe teeth are different, since unlike nails, they are not a renewable resource. And, he will never again have those little baby teeth in his head. He will never again be a baby.

But what will we do with the teeth. I imagine that at some future date, as he is pulling away in his car off to college, off with a bride, off on some adult adventure, that I'll suddenly pull out a bag of the tiny teeth and hand them to him with a smile. And that he will thank me with a big grin on his face and suddenly realize that I am the best mom in the world? Hmm, I don't know about that.

What are your thought? Do you keep your children's baby teeth? Why or why not? How do you store them? Please share your opinions.

Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, technology in the Computing Blog, and creating a home in the Home Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.

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Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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deedee1231 (4030) 04 Apr 2008 10:24 AM

I really do not know of a way to keep them where they will stay intact. I put my oldest's first few in the envelope attached to her baby book labeled "baby teeth" and they got sort of ground up. So I tried wrapping the next few in gauze and putting them in a baby food jar and those just sort of disintigrated (over the course of a few years). So I don't try to keep them anymore.

Mary Ann Romans (26876) 04 Apr 2008 10:45 AM

I have heard that they will crumble after a while.

jonesx6 (1606) 06 Apr 2008 04:46 PM

My daughter was recently going through my mom's jewelry box. Inside were a bunch of baby teeth. I assume they are from my brother and I. lol For a while I was saving my older childrens baby teeth, in my jewelry box, but gave up when the kids get getting them. I should comment that the teeth in mom's jewelry box were fine. Laura

Mary Ann Romans (26876) 07 Apr 2008 03:34 AM

Were you happy to have found the teeth, or did you not know what to do with them?