Tooth Fairy Tradition Remains Strong According to 2022 Original Tooth Fairy Poll® Released by Delta Dental of Connecticut
August 22 is National Tooth Fairy Day and The Tooth Fairy Tradition Remains Strong According to 2022 Original Tooth Fairy Poll® Released by Delta Dental of Connecticut
Glastonberry, CT, August 22, 2022 — The Tooth Fairy visited 79% of homes across the country with children ages 6-12 who have lost teeth, according to findings of the 2022 Original Tooth Fairy Poll® released by Delta Dental of Connecticut. Monday, August 22 is National Tooth Fairy Day.
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According to the survey, most kids are demonstrating patience for the Tooth Fairy’s visit, with more than half of parents (61%) reporting that their child waited for their loose tooth to fall out, unlike 18% of their children who pulled their own tooth! One out of three parents agrees that the Tooth Fairy is a positive way to instill good oral health habits in their child. The 2022 poll builds on insights gleaned over nearly a quarter of a century. A few additional highlights from this year’s poll include: |
The Tooth Fairy continues to bring joy
- More than 1 in 2 parents say the Tooth Fairy gives their child something to be excited about (55% 2022 versus 53% 2021).
- This year, more parents indicate that the Tooth Fairy provides their child with an opportunity to celebrate something fun (55% 2022 versus 48% 2021).
- In fact, 35% of parents express the Tooth Fairy was the perfect way to spread joy in a year when they needed it most (compared to 34% 2021).
“Children throughout Connecticut and across the nation still believe in and respond positively to the Tooth Fairy,” said Dennis Wilson, President and Chief Executive Officer, Delta Dental of New Jersey and Connecticut. “The time-honored tradition of the Tooth Fairy can help bring attention in a fun way to the importance of establishing proper oral hygiene habits at an early age. Delta Dental is committed to increasing the public’s awareness of the vital role healthier smiles plays in overall wellbeing, and the Tooth Fairy helps us reach young children with this message in an age-appropriate way helping to set kids up for a lifetime of good oral health.”
The worth of a lost tooth — cash dominates
Since 1998, Delta Dental has been analyzing the Tooth Fairy’s U.S. annual giving trends. The 2022 Original Tooth Fairy Poll® indicates the Tooth Fairy’s average cash gift reached $5.36 per tooth, an all-time high in the 24-year history of the poll. This year’s value of a lost tooth has more than quadrupled since the inception of the Original Tooth Fairy Poll® when the value of a lost tooth was $1.30. The 2022 poll’s average gift of $5.36 per tooth is 66 cents (14%) higher than the previous peak of $4.70 set last year and well over $1 (33%) more per tooth in 2020 ($4.03). The 2022 poll also finds that 80% of the time the Tooth Fairy leaves only money rather than some other physical gift.
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About Delta Dental
In Connecticut, Delta Dental of Connecticut, Inc. is a licensed insurer that writes dental coverage on an insured basis, and Delta Dental of New Jersey administers self-funded dental benefit programs. Delta Dental of New Jersey, Inc. is New Jersey’s leading dental benefits company, providing or administering coverage to more than 1.9 million people through contracts with groups and individuals in New Jersey and Connecticut.
Offering dental benefits since 1969, Delta Dental’s mission is to promote oral health to the greatest number of people by providing accessible dental benefit programs of the highest quality, service, and value. We are a not-for-profit service corporation and, as a member of Delta Dental Plans Association, we’re part of a network that provides national dental coverage to more than 85 million people. For more information, visit https://www.deltadentalct.com.