Page 5 | AIBU to refuse my mother-in-law keeping my daughter's first tooth?

GalileoFigaro · 2026-09-01T17:46:57+00:00

DD just turned 7 has a wobbly tooth. Her first one. My smother in law said that she was going to pull it out for her when she next saw her AND she was going to keep it in her little box where she has all her 3 children's milk teeth. AIBU to say no she isn't? I feel that the tooth shouldn't be pulled and will fall out when it's good and ready. Also I'd quite like to keep my own child's tooth as a keepsake (a lot of mums do that, right? AIBU and being precious or is MiL overstepping?

landoflostcontent · 01/09/2026 20:14

I swallowed mine and howled the place down as I wouldn't get the shiny sixpence from the tooth fairy.

seahorsessky · 01/09/2026 20:11

Never would think of keeping them, so I'd be happy with her having it if it matters to her (not pulling it out though). But if you want it, that's up to you.
I have no idea what happened to my teeth. I'd find it really weird if my parents kept them and presented me with them, but to each their own.

Original poster

GalileoFigaro · 01/09/2026 20:07

BEAchDays2 · 01/09/2026 19:55

My smother in law 🤣

Yeah, that wasn't a typo 😝

OP posts:

TheEdgyMoose · 01/09/2026 20:07

Who the hell are the 5% who think you are BU?! Of course you can't let your MIL pull your daughter's tooth out. And it's not hers to keep.

I did keep my kids' first few teeth until I had a moment of clarity and wondered what on earth I was planning on doing with them (I am pleased to report I never once considered keeping them to give my children as a gift when they grew up!). But if you want it as a keep sake than that is your right, OP.

Original poster

GalileoFigaro · 01/09/2026 20:07

Coldwetlettuce · 01/09/2026 19:46

Course you’re not BU, she sounds like a control freak. I’ve kept all my kids’ first lost teeth. But also, your dd is 7 and she’s only just losing her first?! Mine lost their first at 5, I wonder if they were unusually early?..

I was a bit concerned that she was late losing her milk teeth and consulted with the dentist. Aparrently her adult teeth need more space to come through and they discussed her possibly wearing an aparatus/ brace to widen her mouth a bit. Hopefully with this one being wobbly, it'll fall out and she won't need any intervention.

I do think teeth are gross tbh but having seen those little tinket boxes to store them, I thought keeping them was common. I'm not a psycho, I promise!

OP posts:

Tiltedd · 01/09/2026 19:55

If my mum gave me a box of my milk teeth I’d get the heaves and they’d be in the wheely bin asap 🤮

BEAchDays2 · 01/09/2026 19:55

My smother in law 🤣

EssCarGo · 01/09/2026 19:54

mindutopia · 01/09/2026 18:48

She absolutely will not be is right. It’s weird she still has their teeth! I obviously am saving all of my dc’s but one day, they will be gifted them and can do what they want with them. I’m not saving them to cast spells later in life. 😂

Edited

I kept some of kids teeth but I think gifting them is a bit on the bonkers side 🤣

AndImVictoriaMalcolm · 01/09/2026 19:48

How does she plan to keep this tooth when her grandchild presumably plans to leave it under her pillow or wherever for the tooth fairy? My eldest was so excited for the tooth fairy- she wrote a letter and drew a map for “her” and everything. You’d have had to prise that tooth from her sweaty little grasp once it was out. I have a (creepy) little pot of baby teeth in a drawer somewhere now and couldn’t tell you which ones belong to which child so I’m clearly not sentimental about them but if someone (say a grandparent) said they wanted to pull the tooth out and keep it for themselves I’d tell them to stop being weird and stop making it about themselves.

Coldwetlettuce · 01/09/2026 19:46

Course you’re not BU, she sounds like a control freak. I’ve kept all my kids’ first lost teeth. But also, your dd is 7 and she’s only just losing her first?! Mine lost their first at 5, I wonder if they were unusually early?..

DozyCrow · 01/09/2026 19:44

Haha, I kept my DCs first teeth. They make silver tooth fairy boxes just for this purpose. I think I've still got the clips somewhere that were on their umbilical cords, and their hospital bracelets 🤣🤣 They'll get dumped some day, and I can vouch I'm not a serial killer.

That aside, your MIL is overstepping. Either tell her you'll be keeping it yourself as your own keepsake (once the tooth fairy has done her job), or just keep DD away from her until it's fallen out. No way she should be attempting to yank it out. Was she being serious, or joking?

notacooldad · 01/09/2026 19:43

The tooth belongs to DD. How could anyone want to deprive her of the whole tooth fairy thing?
If mil did pull the tooth,why would dd be deprived of tooth fairy?
Mil would give the tooth back, it goes under the pillow for money and OP would give tooth to mil.

Perigold · 01/09/2026 19:42

This. I don't get why anyone would want to keep someone's dead teeth

I agree. What on earth for?

CreativeGreen · 01/09/2026 19:42

I’d let her have the tooth if she really wants it but be very clear she mustn’t pull out the baby tooth. Probably put off visits until it falls out I think

bigballofanxiety · 01/09/2026 19:42

croisette · 01/09/2026 19:33

If my mum tries to “gift” me my own milk teeth they’ll be straight in the bin. Can you “gift” someone their own former body parts anyway 😂

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🙌

MassiveBackstory · 01/09/2026 19:42

mindutopia · 01/09/2026 18:48

She absolutely will not be is right. It’s weird she still has their teeth! I obviously am saving all of my dc’s but one day, they will be gifted them and can do what they want with them. I’m not saving them to cast spells later in life. 😂

Edited

I don’t think it’s that obvious actually…

bigballofanxiety · 01/09/2026 19:40

mindutopia · 01/09/2026 18:48

She absolutely will not be is right. It’s weird she still has their teeth! I obviously am saving all of my dc’s but one day, they will be gifted them and can do what they want with them. I’m not saving them to cast spells later in life. 😂

Edited

Please don’t “gift” your children their milk teeth one day. Just don’t.

MaggieBsBoat · 01/09/2026 19:40

Lampsandlightsandotherthings · 01/09/2026 19:00

They change colour and break any way they don’t last years it’s creepy

I’ve got all my kids teeth and my eldest is 30! All are perfectly sound and will be turned into earrings.

kidding about the last bit.
YANBU OP!

AgnesMcDoo · 01/09/2026 19:39

fishonabicycle · 01/09/2026 18:50

Keeping teeth is creepy whoever does it - serial killer vibes.

Edited

Agree with this and it’s gross too

notacooldad · 01/09/2026 19:38

Also I'd quite like to keep my own child's tooth as a keepsake (a lot of mums do that, right? I dont know anyone that's kept them.I mean why?
If nothing else its just clutter What are you going to do with it?
Personally id let the tooth fall out naturally and I'd let MiL have the manky tooth if she wants to.

Batcats · 01/09/2026 19:38

I'd be absolutely horrified if my mum "gifted" me my baby teeth! We had this conversation at work when a colleague came across the grim discovery of her baby teeth that her parents had kept for over 60 years when cleaning out her late parents house. Safe to say they went in the bin. I don't plan to do the same with my kids teeth!

MimiSunshine · 01/09/2026 19:38

Would you want your baby teeth given to you?

don’t keep teeth it’s weird. But no YANBU to not want MIL pulling them out or keeping them.

OrangeSlices998 · 01/09/2026 19:37

Keeping teeth is so fucking weird, do you also keep hair and nails? 🤢

Kokonimater · 01/09/2026 19:36

But the tooth is for the tooth fairy anyway.

ToKittyornottoKitty · 01/09/2026 19:35

AppleButterGutter · 01/09/2026 19:31

Lots of posts on this thread expressing disbelief that anyone would do this.

Clearly lots of people do!

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How did you determine ‘lots’ of people do it? And either way, it’s not any less grim! Lots of people pick their noses and eat it, it’s still gross