tanntroll

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From tann (“tooth”) +‎ troll (“troll”); popularised by the 1949 book Karius og Baktus written by Thorbjørn Egner.

Noun

tanntroll n (definite singular tanntrollet, indefinite plural tanntroll, definite plural tanntrolla)

  1. (folklore) a tooth troll, used metaphorically to teach children about tooth decay (caries)
    Synonym: tannorm
    • 1899, Hulda Garborg, Heimestell, page 13:
      Brennheit elder iskald mat og drykk er reint gale for tennerne. Glasuren smell sund, og straks hev ein eit hôl, der tanntrolli ét seg inn; og so er det tannverk.
      Glowing hot or ice cold food and drinks are outright bad for the teeth. The glaze [i.e. enamel] breaks, and soon you have a hole, where the teeth trolls eat themselves in; and then there is tooth ache.

Descendants

  • → Finnish: hammaspeikko (calque)
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