Korean Tooth Tradition

Tradition as told by informant: I know that when the kids started losing teeth Luis (husband) would always have us throw it onto the roof. I know that’s a Korean thing, but I don’t know exactly the origin of it, but I do know there’s kids books that explain it.

Informant is a descendant of Irish immigrants who married a Korean man. She would often read about Korean folktales to her children and one of the stories included the tooth tradition. Apparently you have to sing a song or shout a request for the lost tooth to be replace by a mouse tooth. Mice are known to grow teeth for their entire lives so by singing or shouting this request it is supposed to bring the child good luck in growing straight teeth.