Hammaspeikko
Encyclopedia
Hammaspeikko, Finnish
for "tooth troll
", is a metaphorical device for explaining tooth decay (caries
) to children, akin to the Tooth Fairy
. Eating candy lures tooth trolls, which drill holes into teeth and look scary. Brushing the teeth scares them away. It is not clear whether the tooth troll is a single entity, or if there are many.
As fictional character Hammaspeikko is an adaptation from Norwegian book Karius og Baktus written by Thorbjørn Egner
published in 1949. The book introduces two characters related to dental health, Karius (standing for caries
) and Bactus (standing for bacteria
). The book was translated in Finnish as Satu hammaspeikoista ("A Tale about Tooth Trolls") and published in 1961.
Similar spirits were believed to cause toothache in the old Finnish religion.
Finnish language
Finnish is the language spoken by the majority of the population in Finland Primarily for use by restaurant menus and by ethnic Finns outside Finland. It is one of the two official languages of Finland and an official minority language in Sweden. In Sweden, both standard Finnish and Meänkieli, a...
for "tooth troll
Troll
A troll is a supernatural being in Norse mythology and Scandinavian folklore. In origin, the term troll was a generally negative synonym for a jötunn , a being in Norse mythology...
", is a metaphorical device for explaining tooth decay (caries
Caries
Caries is a progressive destruction of any kind of bone structure, including the skull, ribs and other bones, or the teeth. Caries can be caused by osteomyelitis, which is a microorganism disease. A disease that involves caries is mastoiditis, an inflammation of the mastoid process, in which the...
) to children, akin to the Tooth Fairy
Tooth fairy
The tooth fairy is a fantasy figure of early childhood. The folklore states that when a child loses a baby tooth, if he or she places it beneath the bed pillow, the tooth fairy will visit while the child sleeps, replacing the lost tooth with a small payment....
. Eating candy lures tooth trolls, which drill holes into teeth and look scary. Brushing the teeth scares them away. It is not clear whether the tooth troll is a single entity, or if there are many.
As fictional character Hammaspeikko is an adaptation from Norwegian book Karius og Baktus written by Thorbjørn Egner
Thorbjørn Egner
Thorbjørn Egner was a Norwegian playwright, songwriter and illustrator known for his books, plays and musicals for children.-Career:...
published in 1949. The book introduces two characters related to dental health, Karius (standing for caries
Caries
Caries is a progressive destruction of any kind of bone structure, including the skull, ribs and other bones, or the teeth. Caries can be caused by osteomyelitis, which is a microorganism disease. A disease that involves caries is mastoiditis, an inflammation of the mastoid process, in which the...
) and Bactus (standing for bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
). The book was translated in Finnish as Satu hammaspeikoista ("A Tale about Tooth Trolls") and published in 1961.
Similar spirits were believed to cause toothache in the old Finnish religion.