Several Factors Determine Amount Tooth Fairy Gives

According to the Original Tooth Fairy Poll from Delta Dental, the Tooth Fairy’s average cash gift declined to $3.70 for a lost tooth, which is down by 43 cents from a year ago.

Not all parents say the Tooth Fairy is following the national average. In homes that the Tooth Fairy visits, close to two in five parents (37%) share that their children receive at least $5.00 or more. Also, the Tooth Fairy appears to recognize that losing a first tooth is monumental as indicated by kids’ receiving an average gift of $4.96, representing $1.26 above the $3.70 average for subsequent lost teeth.

This year’s survey indicates that several circumstances may determine the amount the Tooth Fairy gives. The No. 1 guiding factor is how much spare cash the Tooth Fairy has on hand (46%). This is followed by children’s ages (31%); determining comparable amounts to what children’s parents received when they were young (29%); children’s recent behaviors (20%); and how many teeth children have already lost (18%).

“Most parents say that the Tooth Fairy is bringing excitement and joy to their children, with more than one-third of caregivers sharing that the Tooth Fairy instills good oral health habits,” says Jennifer Elliott, chief marketing officer for Delta Dental Plans Association. “With the Tooth Fairy tradition, oral health conversations are being regularly initiated in households across America with a spark of fun.”

The Original Tooth Fairy Poll was conducted between December 31, 2018, and January 13, 2019, among a nationally representative sample of 1,058 parents of children ages 6 to 12.