What’s Important? Rates, Claims, Losses? Nope. The Tooth Fairy Speaks

Delta Dental does research annually on Tooth Fairy doings. The Delta Dental 2006 Original Tooth Fairy Polly says she’s gotten more generous since the last poll. The loss of a single tooth went up 17% in 2025 from $5.01 average to $5.84.

During the heat of the recession in 2023 and 2024 the lady’s giving declined.

By the way, the first tooth lost is worth 23% more than those lost after. On average, a first tooth brought in $6.24 in 2025. More than one in three parents — 38% — always give more for the first tooth than the others.

Oops. We mean the Tooth Fairy, not parents.

Gabriella Ferroni, the Senior Director, Strategic Communications, Delta Dental Plans Association is the Tooth Fairy’s head spokesperson. She said the Tooth Fairy is giving a lot of kids gifts rather than cash.

• 32% got a physical gift instead
• That’s up from 19% in 2025

"After a couple of thrifty years, the Tooth Fairy decided it was time to give kids a well-deserved raise," Ferroni said. "For the past 28 years, Delta Dental has tracked Tooth Fairy giving trends to help teach children about caring for their oral health through a trusted partner — the Tooth Fairy. The beloved tradition gives kids a reason to celebrate their healthy smiles.”

The first Delta poll was in 1998. Since then the amount of cash given out by the Tooth Fairy has risen 349% from $1.30 to $5.84 per tooth. Here are averages from different regions of the U.S.

• The Northeast is the top spot with $6.45 average per tooth — up 41% from 2024
• The West is holding pretty steady at $5.99 — a 5% jump over 2024
• The South $5.89 — is no longer the top giver in spite of a 3% rise
• The Midwest had the biggest jump at $5.27 — up 52% 

By the way, the Tooth Fairy’s giving used to coincide with what’s happening in the economy. It generally follows the S&P 500 Index. For the last few years it changed radically.

In 2025, however, the value of a lost tooth is up 17% which follows a 16% jump in the S&P 500 last year.

Source link: Yahoo.com — https://bit.ly/475SQmc