Baby Teeth Jewelry Moms' Next Big Thing

Jan. 16, 2014— -- Move over breast milk jewelry. Baby teeth are about to become all the rage when it comes to preserving your child's precious moments.

If you think wearing actual teeth around your neck is weird, that's O.K. You can get molds of your child's teeth in sterling silver or gold and wear those instead. Choose a necklace, or charms for a bracelet. Those are the most popular options, according to one Etsy store owner who sells such jewelry.

Jackie Kaufman, owner of the Rock My World shop on Etsy, said she's had about 100 orders so far. She had the idea after a woman who had saved all her children's baby teeth asked her to make a piece of custom jewelry.

"Once I posted the finished product, I started getting many requests for us to create different pieces of jewelry using the teeth," she said. "Most people had no idea that this was possible."

The baby-teeth-as-jewelry trend was first spotted by the people at BabyCenter.com, where there are currently 30 conversation threads on the topic.

"Moms are always on the look-out for unique and personal mementos to remember the key milestones in their child's life," said Linda Murray, BabyCenter's global editor in chief. "Losing a tooth is a pivotal moment in a child's development and symbolic of crossing the threshold from baby to big kid. It's not too surprising that parents want to preserve the teeth in some form."

Think of it as a modern-day twist on bronzed baby shoes and plaster handprints, she said.

Kaufman thinks the trend is just getting started. "Once people are aware of what they can do with the baby teeth, and the very unique pieces of jewelry that can be created, they will be more inclined to have them made." She suggested that the tooth fairy could even bring one to a child who has lost a tooth.

Kaufman added she was recently asked to make two baby teeth necklaces for the HBO show "Girls," though she isn't sure they'll be used.

"I think you have to hold a special place in your heart for the teeth, and not everyone will feel this way," Kaufman said. "You are either repulsed by it or love it."