We can all remember the excitement of losing our baby teeth as children. Before settling into bed, we would place the tooth under our pillow and await the visit of the magical Tooth Fairy, who would take our tooth and replace it with a quarter, or maybe even a dollar if we were lucky.
However, the days of getting spare change in exchange for baby teeth are long gone.
According to an article by the Huffington Post, kids today receive on average around 4 dollars per tooth.
The article reported that the amount that kids receive largely depends on their geographic location. Children in the Northeast receive the most money from the Tooth Fairy, whereas children in the Midwest receive the least.
Although the actual value of a tooth is subjective, the main factor is typically based on how much other kids in the area are getting for their lost teeth. Parent’s are willing to spend more on Tooth Fairy money if they know that it means their children are receiving at least as much as the other kids in school.
When a child loses their first baby tooth, it is natural for them to want to boast about their Tooth Fairy earnings on the playground, and 4 dollars seems to be brag-worthy without being too excessive.
If you’re wondering exactly how much money the Tooth Fairy should leave your child, Visa’s Tooth Fairy Calculator App can help.
According to the app description on iTunes, “By entering information including gender, education, state, age, family size, marital status and household income you can see how much the Tooth Fairy left in other households. The app also shows how inflation affects the amount, and compares what children are receiving now versus what they received decades ago.”
The Visa app hopes to encourage parents to use the Tooth Fairy as an excuse to talk to their children about financial responsibility and savings.
Of course, responsible spending isn’t the only lesson kids can learn from the Tooth Fairy.
Parents can also use the Tooth Fairy as an excuse to talk to their kids about good dental health practices.
In addition or in place of a few dollar bills, consider leaving your child a new toothbrush and tube of toothpaste. Remind them that the Tooth Fairy rewards kids who keep their teeth clean and healthy, which means brushing twice a day for at least two minutes per brush.
If you have any questions about how to teach your children about proper dental health, talk to a pediatric dentist near you. Use ChooseYourDentist.com to find the right dentist for you and your family.
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