Arthur's Tooth (episode)

"Arthur's Tooth" is the first half of the 24th episode of season 1 of the animated children's series Arthur. It originally aired on March 3rd, 1997. It is based upon the book of the same name.

Summary
Arthur has a loose tooth, but he is the only one in his class that hasn't lost any of his baby teeth yet. He unsuccessfully tries various ways to get it out so that Francine would stop picking on him.

Plot
Arthur has a loose tooth, and is trying to make it fall out by using the bathroom door with string tied to his tooth, the technique is not working for him at all. David is annoyed from the slamming of the door. Jane tels him that his loose tooth will fall out when it's ready. David tells him to stop doing any horseplay. D.W. realizes that he is acting weird. Arthur agrees. He tells all the viewers that if 9 year olds still had baby teeth, anyone would be desperate as well.

Arthur's Tooth

One very early morning, Arthur is sleeping. When he bites down, he feels it becoming more loose. He gets up and wakes his parents up. He tells his parents that his tooth is about to fall out soon.

One day at school, Arthur tells Buster that he has a loose tooth. Francine sneezes and loses a tooth. Mr. Ratburn comes in and realizes everybody has lost a tooth except Arthur. He turns on a TV to show a video about teeth.

At lunch, Francine demonstrates some tricks she can do at lunch, including placing her drinking straw through the gap and whistling through her teeth while closed. Francine demonstrates another trick, by doing a spit-take by squirting out juice from the gap of her teeth. Buster, Sue Ellen, Muffy, and Binky do the same as well. Arthur tries but the juice fall out of his mouth instead.

As Arthur gets home, David asks if he would like some milk and cookies. Arthur gets word that the cookies are crunchy kinds. Arthur also makes a request for dinner. At dinner, Arthur's request is revealed; He eats some extra well-done steak. Arthur notices that his loose tooth was still there. Arthur then eats some corn on the cob. Arthur decides to have a couple of things for dessert; peanut brittle and rock candy.

D.W. tells Arthur to turn into shark to attempt to get rid of the loose tooth instantly. D.W. says she learned about it at an aquarium.

The next day, Arthur arrives and some of his friends tease him. Arthur plays a trick on them by revealing a necklace he borrowed from D.W. During art, Arthur wants a physical punch but Buster refuses to do that. During gym, Arthur tells Binky to do it, but is unable to do it.

Later that day, Brain shows Arthur an experiment to remove a tooth that runs away easily. Brain self-destructs the machine and notices that it isn't 100% perfect.

That night, Arthur tries to get the tooth out but the doornob falls off with such amount of force. He spreads the word to his parents which they tell him to go to the dentist.

At school, Arthur spreads the word about going to the dentist to Mr. Ratburn. Francince and Muffy feel sorry for Arthur. Francine tells Arthur that if they are unable to fall out, they have to be yanked. Buster tells Arthur that it was actually going to be fine.

Later, at the dentist, Arthur is called for his appointment. He tells the dentist that he still has all of his baby teeth. The dentist notices a stubborn loose baby tooth. He tells Arthur that having baby teeth doesn't actually make him a baby literally.

The next day at school, Arthur tells his friends that baby teeth don't even need to lost until they're 9 years old and everybody is actually different. Francine decides to play a game of "Tooth Fairy" where Francine poses as the Tooth Fairy. She decides to not invite Arthur in the game. Arthur tells Francine that if he was asked, Francine would be the baby. Buster and Sue Ellen agree with Arthur. Arthur and his friends walk off, except Francine who tells them she is posing as the Tooth Fairy. she throws the ball at the monkey bars and hits Arthur, who has now lost his tooth. Francine apologizes and an impressed Arthur notices that it was just as what he wanted. Arthur requests 25 cents in exchange for his loose tooth.

Trivia

 * On the front cover of Arthur's Tooth on VHS and DVD, Arthur was illustrated to have lost a top incisor like the book, instead of a bottom one like in the cartoon. The illustration on the cover is also considered a "spoiler", in contrast to the book cover where Arthur's tooth was only about to fall out.
 * This is one of the few episodes where the characters' teeth are visible, while the majority of other episodes do not have the teeth visible.
 * The Flighty Fluoride Scour Rangers are a parody of the Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers.

Differences from the book

 * This story took place in Mr. Ratburn's third grade; although in the book, it was a flashback event that took place in Mr. Marco's second grade, and that Arthur would happen to have already lost a tooth when starting third grade.
 * The kids all lost a bottom incisor; although in the book, Arthur and some kids lost a top incisor, while some lost a bottom incisor.
 * Francine's "tooth fairy" game in the book involves her twirling around and whoever she touches loses a tooth, and whoever loses the most teeth wins. In the TV version, she says whoever she hits with a soccer ball loses a tooth.
 * The "literal" tooth fairy was shown in the book; although she didn't actually appear in the cartoon until D.W. Tricks the Tooth Fairy.
 * In the episode Arthur says he is 8 years old but in the book he says he is 7 years old.
 * In the episode Dr. Sozio says he didn't loose his first baby tooth until he was nearly 9 but in the book he says that he was 8 before he lost his first baby tooth.
 * In the episode Arthur gave his tooth to Francine after losing it, in the the book he kept it.
 * In the episode, no one wants to play tooth fairy and follow Arthur to play softball. In the book, everyone but Arthur played and only Arthur left to play softball.

Goofs

 * When Arthur smiles to show the missing tooth, Buster is wearing Arthur's clothes in the background.
 * Jean Charles Fink's last name was spelled incorrectly during the title card of the episode.

Home Video
DVD: VHS:
 * Hooray for Health
 * Arthur's Tooth (video)
 * Arthur's Tooth (video)