For the first time since 2019, the tooth fairy is paying less for lost teeth than the year before, per Axios

For the first time since 2019, the tooth fairy is paying less for lost teeth than the year before, per Axios.


The national average gift value for a single lost tooth from the tooth fairy decreased by 6% to $5.84, down from $6.23 last year, according to a survey by Delta Dental.

Although it's still the second-highest value for a lost tooth, it marks a 349% increase from 1998 when the average value was $1.30.

Delta Dental, which has been tracking tooth fairy trends for 26 years, noted that its poll has typically reflected the economy's overall direction and has often tracked with S&P 500 trends.

However, for the second year in a row, the trends have diverged, with the S&P 500 seeing a 20% increase while the value of lost teeth experienced a slight drop.

According to the survey of 1,000 parents of children ages 6 to 12, lost teeth in the West had the highest value at $8.54, a 37% increase from the previous year. The Northeast followed with an average of $6.87, up 12% and surpassing the national average by more than $1.

In contrast, the South saw a decrease from $6.59 to $5.51, falling below the national average. The Midwest had the lowest value for a lost tooth at $3.63, a $2 and 36% drop from 2023.

Despite the overall decrease in average gift value, parents are still paying more cash for the first lost tooth, which is considered a childhood milestone. The average value for the first tooth is $7.09, down slightly from $7.29 in 2023.