Guide · Tooth Fairy
Why the Tooth Fairy Has No Price by Age
Baby teeth fall out "at various times throughout childhood," says the ADA, so the tooth fairy poll prices the tooth, not the child. Here is the sourced split.
The tooth fairy has no published price by age. Nobody in the sources this site reads prints one, and the tooth fairy calculator has no age box for the same reason: it asks how many teeth have already gone, because that is the thing the published figures actually split on.
What the American Dental Association says about timing
The American Dental Association's MouthHealthy page gives a count and a start, and then stops. It says "At birth people usually have 20 baby (primary) teeth, which start to come in (erupt) at about 6 months of age." On when they leave, its whole statement is "They fall out (shed) at various times throughout childhood." That is a sourced claim, and what it leaves out matters: the ADA page gives no age at which the first tooth falls out and no schedule for the rest.
So a child's age cannot tell you which tooth is coming out. With no published schedule, the page gives no basis for assuming two children of the same age are on the same tooth.
What the Delta Dental poll says about age
Delta Dental's Original Tooth Fairy Poll is the source for the dollar figures on this site. The 2026 poll was "conducted between Jan. 5, 2026 and Jan. 15, 2026," "among 1,000 parents of children ages 6 to 12," with a margin of error of "+/- 3%." Age shows up in that release as who was asked, not as a way of cutting the results.
What the release does split on is the tooth: "On average, a first tooth is now valued at $7.17, up from $6.24 in 2025." And "More than 1 in 3 parents (38%) say the Tooth Fairy leaves extra for their child's first tooth compared with future teeth." The national average for one lost tooth in the poll is $5.84, which the guide on why that number swung 17% in a year takes apart.
Put the two sources together and the structure is clear. The money tracks whether it is the first tooth. The calendar only tells you roughly when to expect one. Both of those are sourced.
A worked example
Two children in one house, priced from the 2026 poll's national figures:
| Child | Tooth | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| The younger one | First tooth | $7.17 | Delta Dental, 2026 poll |
| The older one | A later tooth | $5.84 | Delta Dental, 2026 poll |
| Both in one night | $13.01 | Adding the two figures |
Age did not enter either line. Now suppose the younger child is five. The poll only asked parents of children aged 6 to 12, so a five-year-old's first tooth sits outside the group Delta Dental polled. Using $7.17 anyway is our call, not theirs, and so is rounding it to a bill you have on hand. That is house judgment.
Adjustments can run downward here. $7.17 is an average, and the 38% figure is a minority of parents, so a house that leaves the same amount for every tooth is not off the published map. In that house the first-tooth line simply equals the other one.
What this guide does not cover
It reads one ADA page and one Delta Dental release. It does not say when your child's teeth will fall out, which is a question for a dentist. It does not cover what to leave besides money. Delta Dental reports that "Nearly 1 in 3 children (32%) received a physical gift this year, up from 19% in 2025," and gives no further detail. It does not cover regional figures; the calculator handles those. For the amount itself, use the tooth fairy calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Does the tooth fairy pay more at a certain age?
Not in the sources this site cites. Delta Dental's 2026 poll asked parents of children "ages 6 to 12" and prices a first tooth at $7.17 against $5.84 for the average tooth; it does not price by the child's age.
At what age do baby teeth fall out?
The American Dental Association does not give one. It says baby teeth "fall out (shed) at various times throughout childhood."
How many baby teeth are there?
The ADA says "At birth people usually have 20 baby (primary) teeth, which start to come in (erupt) at about 6 months of age."
Do most parents leave extra for the first tooth?
Delta Dental reports that "More than 1 in 3 parents (38%)" do, compared with future teeth. That is a minority of the 1,000 parents polled.
This guide is informational only, not tax, legal or professional advice, and not dental advice. The quotes are drawn from the cited pages as published. Not affiliated with the American Dental Association or Delta Dental.
Last reviewed: October 2026 — Eric, KindHow founder.
Want the number?
What the tooth fairy leaves. One insurer has polled parents on this every year since 1998, and publishes a separate figure for a first tooth and for each US region — then, because you cannot put $5.84 under a pillow, this works out the smallest amount you can actually make from what is in the house tonight.
Tooth Fairy Calculator