By Daniella Gray

Copyright newsweek

Two parents from Portland, Oregon, are going viral on the internet for sharing their family’s twist on the Fairy tradition.

Rachel and David Dickson, 39 and 45, explained in a post on Threads that, in their home, the Tooth Fairy “collects teeth to recycle them” and pays out based on the quality of the tooth.

“A shiny white cavity free molar is gonna bring in a lot more than a stained incisor. Cavities don’t get money because she can’t recycle it but she will leave tooth brush, flossers and toothpaste,” Rachel (@midnightmomster) wrote on Threads.

Rachel and David, parents to Austin, 17, Owen 14, Kegan, 13, and Allison, 12, told Newsweek the idea evolved over time.

“We made up bits and pieces of the story, as we went with the oldest with the intent to modify behavior,” Rachel said. “The Tooth Fairy gave them incentive to brush their teeth and clean their rooms without a fight or fuss. They actually wanted to brush their teeth instead of having to force them to do it.”

When the kids demanded to know why the Tooth Fairy preferred the dresser, Rachel improvised: “We told them that her bag got too full so she would have to come back the next night. If the room was messy, we told them [it wasn’t safe for her to] get to the dresser.

“One of my kiddos would bite the toothbrush when I tried to brush his teeth, and it was making it very hard to get them clean,” the mom of four added. “So we came up with the recycling idea to encourage him to let us brush and floss his teeth, and to explain why the Tooth Fairy wants to buy their teeth.”

That sense of logic resonated especially well in their hometown in Portland. Rachel said that “everything gets recycled or composted,” so it made sense for the children.

“[We told] them that the Tooth Fairy recycles them into new teeth for babies [and] they were just like, ‘OK, yeah … it’s not weird that someone wants my old teeth.’ They thought it was a good reason.”

Stock image: A smiling daughter and young mother brush their teeth together.

Rachel’s post got parents talking on Threads. With almost 10,000 likes and dozens of comments, many users—including some dentists—thought the idea was “genius.”

“Taking notes for my future kids,” one user wrote.

“Where were you (and Threads) 30 years ago??? Brilliant!!!” another added.

Others thought Rachel and David’s approach was a “way to stamp out the fun.”

Rachel later followed up with a second post clarifying that her goal was always to make the tradition fun, never punitive. “I don’t punish them or scold them if they do get a cavity,” she said. “For the ones that brought up the genetic factor of tooth decay, I let them know that I am aware, and that is part of why I want to encourage these healthy habits from a young age.”

As someone who has had congenital dental malformations and multiple oral surgeries, the story is deeply personal for the mom. “I know how much genetics can affect your oral health, and that’s a big factor in the idea of encouraging oral hygiene,” Rachel said. “Even if it’s not enough to completely prevent tooth damage or decay, it absolutely decreases the risk significantly.”