Leaving out your children’s baby teeth for the Tooth Fairy is an adorable tradition. It can change tooth loss from something that might be frightening to kids into a fun, memorable experience, in which they even get a bit of cash!
At Affordable Dentures & Implants, we wanted to investigate how much people think is a suitable amount to give their children or grandchildren for each baby tooth, as well as what they got for their own when they were growing up. We sent out a survey that asked 4,000 Americans across the country all about the Tooth Fairy, and discovered some really interesting differences between states, regions and age groups.
Let’s get into the data!
The Tooth Fairy, then and now...
When growing up, most Americans got $1 for a tooth (31%) followed by 50 cents (27%). The average amount they reported getting was $2.83.
Now, the two most common amounts to give to children or grandchildren for a tooth are $1 or $5, both at 26%. That’s followed by the 10% of Americans who give $2, and those who give nothing or $10, with both of these options equally popular at 7% of the country.
Overall, it seems people pay nearly twice what they got as a child. On average, Americans now pay $4.58 - for a full set of 20 baby teeth, that would cost $91.60.
Most people said they stop giving their children or grandchildren tooth fairy money when all the baby teeth have fallen out (26%), which is typically around the age of 12. For 11%, the cutoff point is when the child reaches the age of 5. Interestingly, some studies have suggested between 5 and 7 is when most children start to lose their belief in characters like the Tooth Fairy. However, 5 is the age that most children start to lose their baby teeth in the first place! The survey showed that on average, parents and grandparents stop paying for their children's or grandchildren's teeth between the age of 8 and 9.
When choosing how to give the money, most Americans give it as cash (86%). 4% give a gift instead. 3% leave an ‘I Owe you’ note, but more surprisingly 1% pay in bitcoin!
28% of Americans say they feel pressured to match the rewards their children’s friends get for their lost teeth. Men are more likely to feel under financial pressure to match the same amount of money their children’s friends get - 30% compared to women at 25%. But apart from that, there’s not much difference between men and women, who are equally generous Tooth Fairies.
On average, 5% of people said they do not agree with the Tooth Fairy - a very low percentage which just goes to show how popular the tradition remains today.
The ‘price’ of a baby tooth across the US
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Comparing data from across the US revealed some significant regional differences.
Speaking in broad terms, states in the Midwest received the least, at $2.34 on average, followed by states in the West at $2.58. People who grew up in the Southern states were given $3.04, and those who grew up in the Northeastern US got the most for each tooth, averaging $3.22.
This reflects what people were willing to give for their children and grandchildren’s baby teeth. Survey respondents in the Midwest said they would give $3.91, while in the Western states the average was $4.32. However, people in the South and in the Northeast both gave an average answer of $4.92.
State by state, we see even more differences
Here are the top five states that got the most tooth fairy money growing up:
| Alaska | $4.17 |
| New York | $3.82 |
| North Carolina | $3.77 |
| New Jersey | $3.46 |
| Tennessee | $3.43 |
And the states that got the least:
| Montana | $0.64 |
| Hawaii | $0.75 |
| Maine | $1.09 |
| Vermont | $1.13 |
| Oregon | $1.26 |
When we compare these to the data that shows what people give their children and grandchildren now, you can see that some of the same states appear in a similar order.
The states that give the most Tooth Fairy money:
| Washington DC | $5.88 |
| Mississippi | $5.80 |
| Louisiana | $5.74 |
| North Carolina | $5.68 |
| New York | $5.60 |
And here are the states that give the least:
| Oregon | $1.96 |
| Montana | $2.50 |
| Indiana | $2.83 |
| New Mexico | $2.89 |
| North Dakota | $2.92 |
We were also interested to see which states had boosted the amount they pay their children for a baby tooth the most, and the number one biggest change was in Hawaii, where parents and grandparents now say they would pay $3.11 - four times what they would have been paid growing up. In Montana, the average amount left by the Tooth Fairy is four times higher too, now at $2.50. And in Vermont, what parents and grandparents say they would pay now, $4.40, is also four times higher than the average amount they would have been given as children.
Some states were much more likely than others to say they don’t agree with the Tooth Fairy tradition, with Washington DC coming out on top. 13% of people there say they don’t agree with - could it be because of the high average Tooth Fairy gift cost there? At $5.88, parents who shell out for every lost tooth would pay $117.60 for all 20 of their child’s baby teeth over the years!
In South Carolina, Oregon and Kansas, 10% of people said they don’t agree with leaving money or a gift as the Tooth Fairy - double the average across the US, which is 5%.
How age differences affect Tooth Fairy gifts
Younger people were more likely to say they had received a higher price for their teeth, with 18-24 year olds reporting the highest price on average at $4.99. As the age brackets in the survey got higher, the amount of money they reported being given declined. Americans who were over 65 years old received the lowest price for their teeth as children, averaging $1.01.
This is a real demonstration of the changing value of the dollar over the years, and of inflation.
When it comes to giving their children and grandchildren money for their lost teeth, 18-24 year olds said they would give the highest amount of all the age groups - on average, they would give $6.59 for a tooth. And those who were 65 years and up said they would give the least, offering $2.66, less than half of what the youngest age group were willing to pay - but still more than twice what they were given when they were children.
All age groups agree roughly on when to stop giving money. The average age across every age bracket is 9, except for 55-64 and 65+ where it is 8.
People 55 and older are less likely to feel under pressure to match what the friends of the children in their family get for their teeth - only 18% of those aged 55-64 and 13% of people who are over 65 said they feel under pressure. This could suggest that grandparents are either more indulgent to the kids in their family - or maybe they are less likely than parents to find their gift met with complaints about how much more other children got!
This survey revealed some fascinating insights into how people across America feel about the Tooth Fairy, and how they choose to carry out this tradition with their families.
While children lose their teeth all the time as part of growing up, unfortunately, adults often experience tooth loss too. In fact, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in 6 (17%) adults aged 65 or older have lost all of their teeth. Since 1975, doctors at Affordable Dentures & Implants have helped more than 8 million adults solve for tooth loss; our mission is to provide a smile for every budget, delivered with compassion, dignity and respect. If you are looking for a tooth replacement solution, don’t hesitate to schedule a consultation with your local practice.