Shauna Carter, a mother of three, has written a book to help teach children positive oral health habits and routines.

Save the Tooth Fairy was published in the summer of 2023. It aims to educate children about the importance of oral hygiene.

Shauna told Barrie Today, “When I started to have kids, I would tell them stories, and they always enjoyed the stories I would make up. My kids were the ones who said I should try and figure out I could make a book.”

When she was a child, Shauna became afraid of going to the dentist due to a “traumatic” experience.

Shauna said, “When that happens to you when you’re a kid, that usually stays with you. As you grow, you’re afraid (of going) to the dentist. I love being a mom and I don’t want my children to go through pain.”

Since becoming a mother, she has “learned what a battle it is” to get children to see the importance of their general and oral health. She added, “Your mouth is connected to your long-term health in other ways besides just your teeth. It’s really important to set the stage when they’re really young.”

Her experience sparked Shauna’s creativity. She wrote a letter to the tooth fairy to “to change her requirements” to help “prevent painful dental experiences and (maintain) healthy oral health long term.”

Her book, Save the Tooth Fairy, is the origin tale of the Tooth Fairy and how children can keep her alive through hygiene routines.

“I like to have underlying positive messages in my stories, even though it’s not something I like to drill into it," Shauna said. "It’s just something where there can be ‘aha’ moments throughout and a child can connect with it.”

The sequel, The Plaque Monster Attacks, is awaiting publication. Shauna explained that it will continue the themes explored in her first book.

Shauna said, “It goes into more detail about the mischievous creature and how he has a craving for teeth that haven’t been cared for. He builds an unlikely friendship with the Tooth Fairy, but it isn’t enough for him ... He then finds his way into the human world.

“It talks about how every child has the power to fight off the Plaque Monster and take the best care of their teeth."

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