Sounds like kids are raking in the dough simply for losing their baby teeth. According The Original Tooth Fairy Poll conducted by Delta Dental, the Tooth Fairy is being quite generous lately, with kids getting an average of $4.66 per tooth in 2016 and early 2017, as compared to only $3.91 in 2015. That’s a nearly 20% increase, and a new all-time high.
The Tooth Fairy handed out $290.6-million for lost teeth last year, which is up 13.5% from 2015. And kids who lost their first tooth are doing even better than the norm, with parents paying out about $5.72 for that first loss, up 10% from last year.
Overall, 85% of homes with children get a visit from the Tooth Fairy, with 89% of kids getting money for their teeth. Not every kid gets their treat right away though, with 56% of parents admitting the Tooth Fairy sometimes forgets to visit on the first night. And not every Tooth Fairy leaves behind money. Believe it or not, 38% give their kids toothbrushes for a lost tooth, while 22% give them toothpaste and 21% give them floss.
Of course a child’s gift does vary depending on location. It seems the Tooth Fairy is most generous in the West, paying an average of $5.96 for a tooth and $6.89 for the first tooth, followed by the Northeast, with an average of $5.08 per tooth, $6.31 for the first tooth.
Source: The Street