A Seattle dentist has been answering emails as the tooth fairy for nearly two decades, helping thousands of parents keep a magical tradition alive for their kids, Axios' Seattle's Melissa Santos writes.

• By the numbers: Purva Merchant, who works as a pediatric dentist in Seattle, replies to three to five emails a day sent to a "toothfairy" email address, The New York Times' Eliza Shapiro reports.

📧 Merchant estimates she's responded to about 6,000 emails intended for the tooth fairy over the years.

• In her responses, she typically reminds kids to brush and floss their new teeth, and wishes them, "Happy growing up!" Sometimes, she reassures children that she can find their lost teeth; other times, she promises she'll make it to their house soon.

Flashback: In 2004, Merchant's boyfriend — now husband — set up the "toothfairy" email account to help her organize dental school applications. "The Tooth Fairy" was Merchant's nickname.

• About three years later, Merchant received her first email directed to the actual tooth fairy, according to the Times. "Dr. Merchant realized she was hearing from a frantic parent who had forgotten to tuck a few bills under a child's pillow and needed to appease that child. She decided to help out."

Merchant asked the Times not to share her tooth fairy email address — even though she knows it's easy enough to guess — so she can avoid getting inundated with more emails than she can answer.

❤️ Bonus: Here's an adorable email Merchant received from a child to the tooth fairy account.

My tooth got Pullen out at the dentist today

And I am excited for you to cone to my house and give me a surprise for being a brave girl

I am sleeping in my mums bed tonight and my tooth is silver so you can zee it and it's under the black pillow and it's in a dog box wrapped in a tissue

And I love you

This serene pic was taken by reader Carly Schlafer on the Ditch Trail in Snowmass, Colo.

• "Feeling so blessed to be able to go on daily hikes in Aspen and Snowmass," Carly writes. "The river water is cold, fresh and comprised largely of snow melt."

Happy weekend!