How Much Does the Tooth Fairy Pay for a Tooth in Michigan?
Tuesday, February 28th, 2023 is National Tooth Fairy Day. Growing up, we would get so excited when we had a loose tooth. We knew that when that tooth fell out, we could place that tooth under our pillow. Overnight, the Tooth Fairy would visit and leave us maybe a shiny silver quarter or two.
Times have changed, and it looks like inflation has hit the tooth recycling industry along with everything else. The Tooth Fairy is paying way more than that 25-50 cents now days.
How Much Does the Tooth Fairy Give Out for a Tooth?
The Dental Care Alliance recently put together a list of the just how much children are receiving for a lost tooth from the Tooth Fairy. By a look at the results, a child could start a nice bank account with the money they get for their lost teeth.
The average amount a child can expect to receive across the United States is about $4.57 per tooth! Children living in Delaware and Hawaii can expect over $8 a tooth, while children in Massachusetts, Wyoming, and Iowa are getting just under $2.50 a tooth.
Here in Michigan we are 12th on the list at $5.48 per tooth -- almost $1 more than the average.
How Much Money Could a Child Earn?
By the time they are three years old, most children grow 20 primary teeth. When their adult teeth start to come in -- at around age 12 -- all of the primary teeth will fall out. With an average tooth fairy payment of $5.48, kids in Michigan could earn up to $109.60 after losing all of their baby teeth!
How do all the States Compare?
Here is the graphic, supplied by the Dental Care Alliance.
Dental Infographic by Dental Care Alliance
I think it is interesting how neighboring states can be so far off in their amounts. For example: Texas is on the list at $6.00 a tooth, while just to the north in Oklahoma the Tooth Fairy is only paying out $3.39. It is a similar situation in the midwest, where Wisconsin children average $5.89 per tooth, but just to the south in Illinois children average only $2.75 a tooth.
Unofficial West Michigan Survey Results
I asked on my Facebook page how much the Tooth Fairy was paying out here in West Michigan. I was surprised to see some of those numbers. They ranged from an average of about $5 to $20!
Perhaps these children should be saving up to by their own castle...