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.
