CHICAGO, Aug. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — 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 6,941 for 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®.
About Delta Dental Plans Association
Based in Chicago, Illinois, Delta Dental Plans Association is the not-for-profit national association of the 39 independent Delta Dental companies. Through these companies, Delta Dental is the nation’s largest dental benefits provider and offers the country’s largest dental network with approximately 151,000 participating dentists. Over the last 16 years, Delta Dental companies and their foundations invested over $2.4 billion to improve the oral and overall health of our communities.
Visit deltadental.com for information on individual dental insurance plans and group dental insurance plans.
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SOURCE Delta Dental Plans Association
