OAK BROOK, Ill.–Inflation continues to be felt everywhere in the economy, including with the Tooth Fairy—except in one region of the country, where the price paid per tooth has plunged.
According to new findings from Delta Dental’s 2022 Original Tooth Fairy Poll, the Tooth Fairy's average cash gift has reached $5.36 per tooth in 2022, a record high in the 24-year history of the poll.
Delta Dental, which noted it has been analyzing the Tooth Fairy's U.S. annual giving trends since 1998, reported the value of a lost tooth has more than quadrupled since the inception of the Original Tooth Fairy Poll, when the value of a lost tooth was $1.30. This year's poll illuminates the highest all-time average gift of $5.36 per tooth, which is 66 cents (14%) higher than the previous peak at $4.70 last year and well over $1 (33%) more per tooth since 2020 ($4.03), Delta Dental stated.
‘Very Generous’
"As a welcomed visitor into most homes around the country, the Tooth Fairy continues to bring fun and excitement to kids' oral health care awareness. In fact, one-in-five parents share that the Tooth Fairy was one of their child's favorite surprises during the pandemic," said André Richards, AVP-brand strategy & management with Delta Dental Plans Association. "With this year's Delta Dental-sponsored national poll reflecting double-digit growth in Tooth Fairy giving, perhaps the Tooth Fairy is experiencing the effects of inflation along with being very generous."
The company said the Original Tooth Fairy Poll has typically mirrored the economy's overall direction, tracking with the trends of Standard & Poor's 500 Index (S&P 500) for 17 of the past 20 years. Last year, a single lost tooth was valued at $4.70, and this year's survey indicates a 14% upward growth to $5.36. Over the same time, the S&P 500 also experienced growth, with a 17.6% increase.
The Regional Tooth Fairy Market
As is often the case in the U.S. economy, costs can vary by region, and the Tooth Fairy is no different. According to Delta Dental’s poll, the price per region included:
- The Northeast: $7.36. The Northeast continues to lead U.S. regions in highest average monetary gift for a lost tooth, rocketing $2 above the national average and marking a $1.64 gain over the previous year's results.
- The South: $5.77. The South continues to track most closely to the overall U.S. average and shows a $1.32 increase.
- The Midwest: $4.27. Although lower than the national average, the price per tooth in the Midwest was up 61 cents.
- The West: $4.08. Delta Dental said the West represents the only U.S. region with a downward giving trend, with the average monetary gift for a lost tooth plunging by $1.46.