How much should our family leave from the Tooth Fairy?

The useful number is the one that works in your home. Start with the plan, then choose the amount.

Delta Dental’s 2026 U.S. poll reported an average of US$5.84 for one lost tooth. The survey ran from January 5–15, 2026, with 1,000 parents of children ages 6–12. It also reported a US$7.17 average for a first tooth.

Those are survey averages, not a price list. They do not tell you what every child received. They are not a Canadian rate or a rule for your home. Pick what fits your budget and what you want to repeat.

First, decide what you want the ritual to feel like. Is it a little surprise, a chance to save a small amount, or a keepsake of a milestone? You can have more than one aim, but keep the plan easy to do on a busy evening.

Second, decide whether the first tooth is different from later teeth. A special first note may mark the milestone without a larger amount.

Third, choose what you can repeat. Think about the whole family and future tooth nights, rather than only tonight's excitement. If money is tight, the note can carry more of the moment.

Write it down privately so other adults know it too. You might use a fixed amount for each tooth, a small gift chosen each time, or a note with an occasional keepsake. Choose what suits your home.

A made-up example: a parent chooses a small fixed amount and a three-line note. For the first tooth, they add the date and save a drawing. Later tooth nights use the same amount and a shorter note. The extra meaning comes from the record, not an amount that has to keep rising.

Try: “Families do this in different ways. This is our family's Tooth Fairy plan.”

If the child is disappointed, you can hear that without changing the amount. “You hoped for the same as your cousin. I understand. Our plan is this.” Then return to their own tooth story or what they want to do with the gift.

You do not need to explain another family's choices or suggest that one child deserved more. Keep it about the plan in your home.

Keep a spare note or envelope if that helps. Agree with another adult what to do when you cannot give the usual thing straight away.

You could leave a note explaining what will happen next in your family's chosen voice. Use a promise you can keep. A clear small plan is easier for a child to understand than a new surprise that you have to repair later.

Ask whether they want to use the gift soon or keep it toward something. Keep the choice concrete: “Would you like to put it toward the art set, or choose a little treat with us?”

You can record the choice on a card. If they change their mind, talk it through within your family rules. The conversation can be a small way to practise choosing.

Tell relatives your plan before they add their own Tooth Fairy message. A grandparent can mark the milestone with a gift from themselves, a call or a note. That gives the child a clear story about who gave what.