Delta Dental poll: More kids are heading to bed early for the Tooth Fairy

Delta Dental poll: More kids are heading to bed early for the Tooth Fairy

The Tooth Fairy is winning the bedtime battle—one lost tooth at a time.

In celebration of National Tooth Fairy Day on August 22, Delta Dental released additional findings from its 2026 Original Tooth Fairy Poll®, revealing growing anticipation and curiosity among children as they await a visit from the Tooth Fairy.

One-third of children (33%) go to bed early when expecting a visit from the Tooth Fairy, up significantly from 23% last year. Children’s curiosity is also on the rise, with 30% asking to learn more about the Tooth Fairy, compared to 24% in 2025.

Further, the Tooth Fairy sparks positive emotions in children, with half of parents (50%) saying the visit gives their child something to be excited about and 42% reporting that it makes their child feel special.

“A child’s first lost tooth is more than a milestone — it’s an opportunity to celebrate healthy oral care habits that can last a lifetime,” said Gabriella Ferroni, Senior Director, Strategic Communications, Delta Dental Plans Association. “For 28 years, the Delta Dental Original Tooth Fairy Poll® has tracked Tooth Fairy giving trends to highlight how this enduring tradition can spark conversations with children about caring for their smiles.”

Additional key findings from the 2026 poll include:

The Tooth Fairy creates meaningful family moments

• Nearly half of parents (47%) say a Tooth Fairy visit helps maintain family traditions.
• Approximately 4 in 10 parents (39%) say it creates a memorable bonding moment with their child.

The Tooth Fairy encourages sound oral health habits

• More than 1 in 3 parents (35%) say the tradition encourages better oral care in their children.
• Nearly one-third of parents (30%) say good oral health habits influence how much the Tooth Fairy leaves behind.

The Tooth Fairy gives kids a raise

• The average value of a single lost tooth during the past year increased by 17% from $5.01 to $5.84—marking the first year-over-year increase in Tooth Fairy giving since 2023.
• About 1 in 3 children (32%) received a physical gift this year, up from 19% in 2025.
• Since the poll’s inception in 1998, the average cash gift left by the Tooth Fairy has surged 349% from $1.30 to $5.84 per tooth.

The value of a lost tooth and the economy

Historically, the Original Tooth Fairy Poll® has typically mirrored the economy's overall direction, tracking with the trends of Standard & Poor's 500 Index (S&P 500). In recent years, however, the value of a lost tooth diverged from this pattern. For the first time since 2022, the poll has realigned with market trends. Over the past year, the average value of a single lost tooth increased 17%, in line with a similar 16% increase in the S&P 500 during the same period.

About the poll

The Original Tooth Fairy Poll® was conducted between Jan. 5, 2026 and Jan. 15, 2026, among 1,000 parents of children ages 6 to 12. The margin of error is +/- 3%.

The January 2025 S&P 500 average was 5,960 and increased to an average of 6,941for January 2026, consistent with the timing of the Original Tooth Fairy Poll®.

For more information about the Delta Dental-sponsored survey and oral health tips for infants to pre-teen, visit the Original Tooth Fairy Poll®.