Parents, under the guise of the Tooth Fairy, are paying their children more for each tooth, according to a poll conducted by the nonprofit Delta Dental Plans Association.
More than 1,200 primary caregivers were surveyed via email interviews and the results show that the average gift for each tooth increased from $2.10 in 2011 to $2.42 in 2012.
And spokesman Bill Hupp believes that this seemingly silly calculation can actually reflect what is going on in the larger economic picture.
"When times are tough, parents can't be as generous," spokesman Bill Hupp said. "If the market and economy are improving, parents can afford to give a little more with their tooth fairy donations."
Hupp also said that the Tooth Fairy poll also creates an opportunity for parents to talk to their children about the importance of oral health, especially at a young age when they are losing their baby teeth.
"The tooth fairy per se is not necessarily about oral Health, but parents can say something to the effect of, the tooth fairy would like it if she picks up healthy baby teeth," he said.
Delta Dental says that they have been conducting the annual Tooth Fairy poll since 1998 and that it is "a fun way to gauge how generous the tiny fairy had been in the previous year."-according to the non-profit's website.
SEE DETAILED TOOTH FAIRY RESULTS HERE
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