The short answer: the most recent national number we could verify is $5.84 per lost tooth, from the 2026 Delta Dental Original Tooth Fairy Poll. That figure was $5.01 the year before. National averages move around from year to year, they are based on parent surveys, and your family is under no obligation to match them.
What did the 2026 poll find?
According to Delta Dental's published summary, the average value of a single lost tooth rose 17 percent in the past year, from $5.01 to $5.84. The poll ran from January 5 to January 15, 2026, among 1,000 parents of children ages 6 to 12, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percent. The same summary says about 1 in 3 children (32 percent) received a physical gift this year, up from 19 percent in 2025 (Delta Dental: https://www.deltadental.com/tooth-fairy/press-release/).
We cite that page and no other number here. Two things are worth keeping in mind about it:
- It is a poll of 1,000 parents, so the average describes that group and not every household.
- The figure changed by double digits between years, which tells you it is not a stable price. If you read a headline that states the "going rate" as a fixed fact, treat it as a snapshot.
Is there a standard amount the tooth fairy should pay?
No. There is no standard, and nobody has the authority to set one. Every family sets a number based on budget, what the child expects, and what the neighbors do.
A few ways families decide:
- A flat rate. One amount per tooth, the same every time. This is the easiest to keep consistent.
- A bigger first tooth. A higher amount for the first lost tooth, then a flat rate. Parents like this because the first tooth is a one-time event.
- A bonus for a hard tooth. A larger amount for a tooth that was a lot of work, such as a back molar or a tooth that took a week to come out.
- Not always cash. A gold dollar coin, a sticker, a small book, a note in tidy handwriting.
If you pick a number you can afford for twenty teeth, you will not need to renegotiate in year three.
How much should I leave for a first lost tooth?
Whatever feels right for your family. Many parents give a little more because the first tooth is a bigger event, and some give a different kind of gift. If your child has been waiting a long time, a bigger gesture makes sense. If your child is on the young side, the ritual tends to matter more than the amount.
If you want an idea of what other families do, the Delta Dental summary above is a reasonable reference, but your child will not know it exists. Your child will know what you do.
What if the tooth fairy cannot leave cash?
You are not the first parent to realize at 9:40 p.m. that there is no cash in the house. A few options:
- Leave a handwritten note from the tooth fairy saying she ran out of cash and will come back with a little extra tomorrow. A note from a fairy with a plausible reason works well.
- Leave a small item you already own: a sticker, a coin from a jar, a book.
- Gild the tooth. Our kit lets you turn the tooth gold and put it in the vial, so that "I got a gold tooth" becomes the gift. Many kids like it better than the dollar.
The poll's 32 percent number suggests you are not alone in leaving something other than money.
Why do kids compare how much they got?
Because kids compare everything. A classmate who got a larger amount will tell the whole class by lunch. The calm response is to say that every tooth fairy has her own style, and that yours has a way of doing things. You can add that the child is welcome to keep the tooth story private, and that comparing is not a game the tooth fairy plays.
If a child is upset, ask what bothered them: the number, or feeling left out. The answer is usually the second.
Should I tell my child the amount in advance?
It depends on the child. Some children like to know the rule ("a coin for each tooth"), and some prefer surprise. If your child is old enough to count, a rule reduces negotiation. If they are younger, surprise tends to be gentler.
How can I make a smaller amount feel generous?
The amount is only one piece of the night. The things children remember tend to be the details: a note, a trail of glitter, a name spelled right. A few ways to make a small gift feel big:
- A handwritten note from the fairy that mentions something the child did that day.
- Gold dust trailing across the windowsill.
- A dated label on a vial, so the tooth has a story.
- A new coin, a gold coin, or a pile of small coins that makes noise.
The gold dust and vial are in our kit, but you can do your own version with a jar and a marker.
What should I do if my child's friends say there is no tooth fairy?
That is a different conversation, and we wrote a separate piece on tooth fairy ideas when a child starts to doubt. For now, ask the child what they think and listen before you answer.
FAQ
How much does the tooth fairy pay in 2026? Delta Dental's 2026 poll reports an average of $5.84 per tooth, up from $5.01. Use it as a reference only.
How much should I leave for a first tooth? There is no rule. Many parents leave a little more or a different kind of gift. Choose an amount you can repeat.
Does the tooth fairy have to leave money? No. About 1 in 3 children in the 2026 poll got a physical gift, and a note or a gilded tooth also works.
What if other kids get more? Say each tooth fairy has her own way, and keep a family rule you can stick to.
Sources: Delta Dental, 2026 Tooth Fairy Poll summary (opened and read 2026-10-01): https://www.deltadental.com/tooth-fairy/press-release/*