Teeth Hoarder

Taking good care of my future "Pearly" whites!


Years back, before I had kids, my mom had asked me to help her organize her room. I love organizing and designing so of course I said sure. Part of organization is determining what is useful and what is not useful. Somethings can be kept for memories, but only if those items honor the memory. You cannot keep everything, it just isn't practical.

So we were going through everything, making a keep pile and a throw away pile. I then opened a small shell box and could not believe what I saw. I asked my mom, "Is this what I think it is?" Almost embarrassed she said, "Yes, what's wrong with that?"


What is wrong with keeping a box full of your kids baby teeth? There were a ton in there. Four kids...you do the math! Was she going to make a necklace later? I did not get it. Why would she keep these teeth? She didn't even have fond memories of us pulling them because I remember her being completely grossed out by process.


Now, as a grown adult I make this weird discovery. I tell her she has to throw them out. This is gross. Worse than keeping a nasty lock of hair. I am kinda mean at this point and she starts crying and saying it is hard for her to part with them. I don't get it. I make her throw them away, and now I feel guilty for that, as she was extremely sad to let go of this reminder of when we were babies.

Why do I feel bad? Well, Bryce has started losing his teeth. 5 to be exact! The tooth fairy sneaks in there at night and gives him some money for this token of his childhood. And do you know what that tooth fairy has been doing with the teeth? That's right, they are in a zip lock bag in my drawer. Why, why, why?????

I don't know, but I too cannot bring myself to throw out this memory, that is quite disgusting, but also so sweet. You can't go around throwing away the DNA that makes up your kid, can you? I'm sure some people can- but it's in my genes, I guess, to hoard teeth. I really am going to throw them out...soon! I don't want my grown, adult children to come across this and be as weirded out as I was at my moms. But I get it now....somehow...I get it! Sorry mom, should of made you a necklace! (totally joking that is so gross)