Give your teeth some extra flossing and smile your best smile because Tooth Fairy Day is February 28! In honor of Tooth Fairy Day, we took a poll of parents in Virginia to find out what the going rate for a tooth is these days.
According to The Original Tooth Fairy Poll®, sponsored by Delta Dental, the Tooth Fairy is slightly less generous in Virginia compared to the national average.1 While parents in other parts of the country report the going rate for a lost baby tooth at $3.50, the average for Virginia in 2013 was $2.60. Almost half the time, the lost-tooth gift was $1. But when it comes to gifts for losing the first tooth, the Tooth Fairy loosened up her purse strings a bit, with 62% of Virginia parents leaving more money for the first tooth – $4.47, on average.
And who is the Tooth Fairy’s first assistant? It’s mom. Six in 10 caregivers say the child’s mother assists the Tooth Fairy, compared to just over three in 10 that say the father assists the Tooth Fairy. Only one in 10 responded that both parents help out.
“Leaving gifts from the Tooth Fairy is a great way to help make losing teeth less scary and more enjoyable for kids,” said George A. Levicki, DDS, president & CEO, Delta Dental of Virginia. “Delta Dental encourages parents to talk about the Tooth Fairy’s visits as a way to discuss good oral health even before a child loses their first tooth.”
Other Virginia findings from The Original Tooth Fairy Poll® include:
- The Tooth Fairy visited 91% of homes with children who lost a tooth.
- The Tooth Fairy left cash for kids in 94% of the homes she visited. One percent of children received books, gift cards or other gifts.
- The most common amount left under the pillow by the Tooth Fairy was $1 (49% received this amount).
- 29% of kids hit it rich and received $5 or more for each lost tooth.
We suggest the following ways parents can use the Tooth Fairy as a way to teach kids about good oral health habits:
- Introduce the Tooth Fairy early on.
Remind your kids that the Tooth Fairy is only looking for healthy baby teeth, not teeth with cavities. This will help get them excited about taking care of their teeth. - Leave a note reinforcing good habits. A personalized note from the Tooth Fairy could be nearly as exciting for kids as the gift itself.
- Give oral health gifts. A new toothbrush with their favorite cartoon character or fun-flavored toothpaste could be an exciting treat.
“Delta Dental of Virginia is celebrating the Tooth Fairy with an online contest using Pinterest and Facebook. Pin your favorite Tooth Fairy tradition to one of your Pinterest boards, then submit it to Delta Dental of Virginia’s Facebook contest page to be entered to win a special prize pack. The contest ends March 31.
For more information and ways to make your child’s Tooth Fairy experience extra special, visit www.theoriginaltoothfairypoll.com.
