Inflation Hits Parents a New Way: Tooth Fairy Payouts

The tooth fairy is back to being a big spender. The average cash left per lost tooth climbed to $5.84 this year, a 17% bump after two years of declines, according to Delta Dental's latest Original Tooth Fairy Poll of 1,000 parents with kids ages 6 to 12. The increase roughly tracks wider market gains and revives the tiny-but-trendy "Tooth Fairy Index," which has been used for decades as a lighthearted gauge of household confidence, per Axios. Regionally, the Northeast led at $6.45 per tooth, up 41% from last year. The West came in at $5.99; the South averaged $5.89; and the Midwest jumped 52%, to $5.27, though that remains under the national average.

That special first lost tooth now earns a premium of $7.17 on average, with 38% of parents offering a bonus. Non-cash treats are also on the rise: About 32% of kids received something other than money for their lost chompers, up from 19% last year. Since 1998, the going rate has climbed 349%, from $1.30 to today's $5.84. "After a couple of thrifty years, the tooth fairy decided it was time to give kids a well-deserved raise," Delta Dental's Gabriella Ferroni says in a release.