When your kids get to that delightful age where their teeth start falling out and you’re blessed with their gap-toothed grins, you suddenly realize that you have no idea what the Tooth Fairy has been up to since you lost your own teeth years and years ago. As a kid, it seemed like a quarter or a dollar was pretty average. Is that still the case today?
Are people still even doing the Tooth Fairy still? I myself was a very skeptical child, especially since my father was no sleight of hand and bumped me awake once while searching for my tooth to make the swap. After the gig was up, my family got more creative and started giving out packs of Pokemon cards when we lost a tooth instead of money.
Since I am no Tooth Fairy expert, I asked our parenting communities for their input: “What’s the going rate for the Tooth Fairy these days?” Here’s what they said:
The Average Answer For How Much Money the Tooth Fairy Brings
First, The High Rollers
The highest answer I saw was $20 a tooth. Which, is honestly probably a little too rich for my blood. However, if you can afford it, I’m sure this would make some kids very happy. (Note: I also remember a story about my uncle, who started ripping out his healthy teeth once he realized he’d get money for them, and he wasn’t getting anywhere near twenty dollars a tooth.)
I saw a few people mention $10 dollars a tooth as well, but this wasn’t a very common answer. $5 dollars a tooth is probably the most common, but one and two dollars a tooth wasn’t far behind.
Image Reads: “I have always done $20 a tooth.”
Image Reads: “We did $10/tooth and we had 4 kids.”
Image Reads: “My son is really good with money and saving so we do $20 a tooth.”
Five Dollars—The Most Common Answer for How Much Money the Tooth Fairy Brings
Five dollars seemed to be the average answer for how much money the Tooth Fairy brings. I scrolled through probably about a thousand comments and this was the answer I saw the most.
Image Reads: “$5 plus a treat. Both my kids get a treat under their pillow and the money for the kid who lost the tooth.”
Image Reads: “I’d give $5, but then he’d have to buy his sodas and snacks when we went out instead of me. So really nothing but. lol.”
Image Reads: “We do $5 + a gold dollar, mostly because it takes me a week to remember . . . ND tax.”
Image Reads: “$3-$5 depending on how much change I have lying around. Sometimes the tooth fairy is on vacation and they have to wait for her to get back.”
Is One or Two Dollars a Good Deal From the Tooth Fairy?
While it seemed like one or two dollars were slightly less common answers than 5 dollars a tooth, it was definitely the second most common range for how much money the Tooth Fairy brings. Many parents giving money in this range upped the “special” factor by covering their dollars in glitter or using special money and coins like silver half a dollar, gold dollar coins, or two-dollar bills.
Also, pay extra attention to the mom’s piggy bank tip below, because I know I’m not the only one who hardly ever carries cash anymore.
Image reads: “A dollar or 2. Tooth fairy did fork over $10 last week because my 6-year-old pulled out 2 teeth, on his own, 30 seconds from each other lol so he got a bonus.”
Image reads: “$1 and if you don’t have cash on hand, what I like to do, is fish some money out of my kid’s piggy bank. At least while they still have no idea how much money they have in there.”
Image reads: “When my toddler starts losing her baby teeth she’ll get $1-2 depending on the tooth. I’ve taught my daughter to be grateful and I’m a single mother. So $1-2 is perfect for us.”
Image reads: “It’s been a while but we did $1 that I sprayed with glitter spray as fairy dust. Kids loved it!”
Does the Tooth Fairy Have to Give the Same Amount of Money Every Time?
Definitely not. I saw many, many, many parents say that the amount of money the Tooth Fairy delivered varied greatly based on circumstances that the tooth was lost in or just simply because mommy and daddy didn’t always have cash on hand. Or, you know, some days the Tooth Fairy was just feeling extra generous.
Image reads: “2 gold dollars . . . though last time she got us off guard and I only had a 20 . . . we told her the Tooth Fairy knew she had book fair and was doing good reading . . . but it wasn’t normal.”
Image reads: “Depends how many glasses of wine the Tooth Fairy has had.”
The Tooth Fairy Gives Bonuses for the First Tooth and Last Tooth
I was surprised to find that a lot of parents would give a special bonus for the first tooth their kids lost and some would even give a special bonus for the last tooth. These special first bonuses would typically come with a special note from our friend the Tooth Fairy, explaining that the kids shouldn’t expect this much every time.
Some pay ranges I saw often for this were $20 for the first tooth, $5 for every tooth after, or 5 dollars for the first tooth, and then $2 or 1 dollar for every tooth after.
Image reads: $5 for first tooth. $2 for every tooth after. BUT if their room is messy, they get $0 and they have a chance to pick it up. Tooth Fairy won’t risk her life.”
Image reads: “$5 for first tooth, $1 for each tooth after. I had to fork out $1 Friday night, then another $1 on Saturday for the SAME kid.”
Image reads: “He got $20 for his first tooth, but the tooth fairy also left a note that said, ‘you’re getting $20 dollars because it’s special and your first tooth, but don’t expect this next time.’ and the second I think he got $2 or $3.”
Image reads: “Dang! My kids are getting ripped off! I did $2 for the first tooth and $1 dollar for the second.”
Image reads: “$5 for the first tooth and $1 for every tooth after. I made a little tooth fairy jar to put the tooth in and have them leave it on their dresser. Then the Tooth Fairy doesn’t have to risk getting caught. lol”
Image reads: “$10 for 1st tooth, $5 for the others. Only because our kids get scared to eat and brush their teeth when their teeth are wiggly; we try to make it a positive experience with a big payout to ease their worries a little.”
Image reads: “I did 5 gold dollars for the first for my girls. My son had to have surgery to take out his first two teeth, so he got 20. After that you get $1. This tooth fairy is broke.”
Image reads: “20$ for the first tooth, 5$ a tooth after that. My kids don’t believe in the Tooth Fairy, they have always known it’s us. But it’s still fun for them!” 
Image reads: “$5 each for the first and last tooth lost. $1 each for the ones in between.”
Image reads: “Mine gets $1.00 for each tooth, but last toothe we decided $5.00 since it’s their last.” 
Image reads: “Y’all are so generous lol mine get $3 for first ones and $1-$2 in quarters for the rest because I hardly ever have loose bills around. Although they know they get less for cavities, but they have good teeth lol” 
Image reads: “A quarter. I’m waiting for parents to start leaving a bike. lol I gave a dollar for their first then a quarter for the next.”
The Tooth Fairy Gives Bonuses for Clean Teeth
Several parents mentioned that their child either gets a bonus from the tooth fairy when their teeth have no cavities or that the tooth fairy won’t even come if the tooth in question has a cavity.
I honestly love this idea. I think it’s a great way to motivate kids to take better care of their teeth, which is a challenge for parents everywhere. Plus, I think it has a pretty simple explanation that explains why a Tooth Fairy would want clean and healthy teeth more without taking away from the magic.
Image reads: “I tell my kids cleaner and healthier teeth get more money from the tooth fairy cause they’re more valuable. So they have to brush their teeth twice a day and eat their veggies. Works perfectly.” 
Image reads: “My tooth fairy only brings a gift IF the teeth have no cavities! She’s really strict like that.” 
Image reads: “2.00 for a tooth with cavities, 10 for good ones.” 
Image reads: “We do a minimum $2 max $10 depending on how well the tooth is looked after. Brush and take care of your fangs and you get a payday! Fairies do love shiny things after all!”
Tooth Fairy Gives Bonus for Kids Pulling Their Own Teeth
This is another idea I love, because wiggly teeth gross me out, too. I never even pulled my own teeth. I just waited and waited until they fell out on their own. One of mine rather dramatically fell out when I was playing catcher and got hit in the mask with a ball. I looked really tough, but the reality was that my tooth was barely hanging on anyway.
So, having the Tooth Fairy use her extra special teeth expertise to know who pulled each tooth and provide accordingly seems like a great idea to me. I
Image reads:”$5 for the first tooth. $1 is I have to pull it. $2 if they pull it themselves.” 
Image reads: “$5 per tooth, a bonus only if my kiddo pulls it out herself. (She needed encouragement to wiggle them because she’s so afraid of her teeth when they’re loose.)” 
Image reads: $2 … $3 if they pull it themselves because I HATE pulling teeth. Barf face.” 
Image reads: “$5 for the first tooth, $1 after that. Extra if the kiddo pulls it out without a fuss.”
A Bonus from the Tooth Fairy for Special and Difficult Teeth
While some parents only offered money for cavity-free teeth, some offered extra money for special “gold” or “silver” teeth. They use the story that the Tooth Fairy will pay more for teeth with silver or gold in them.
And while this is a fun idea that still makes tons of sense in Tooth Fairyland, I confess to liking this less than those who give a Tooth Fairy bonus for healthy teeth. I’m thinking of one of my kids in particular who might be money-hungry enough to let all of her teeth rot out if she thought she’d get more money from it.
However, letting the Tooth Fairy pay extra for teeth that were extra traumatic or difficult to pull, to encourage good behavior and make the dentist a little less scary, seems like it could be a good idea. Giving out more money based on the size and placement of the teeth also seems like a fun idea.
Image reads “5$, 10$ for the silver ones.”
Image reads: “Ten for first and five for the rest. My son had a tooth removed and it was huge, so we gave him ten because the tooth fairy would be impressed on the size of it. Teeth are huge and long.”
Image reads:” I do it on age and location lol So if my 5yr loses a tooth we give him 5 bucks and if it’s a front tooth that’s $5 if it’s a back tooth those are $10 if dentist pulls one out we take away.” 
Image reads: “$2-$20 depending on how much struggle it was with the tooth and depending on how well the child coped with it. lol” 
Image reads: “Son had a tooth pulled due to it broke, we gave him $5 for that one. But his first official loose toothe that I pulled he was given a note and $2.”
I also saw parents offering less money for teeth that a dentist had to help pull or remove, especially since they had teeth that tended to get pulled in batches.
Image reads: $5 a tooth unassisted. If the dentist has to pull it then less. (my kids so far all (4) seem to have a condition where the roots don’t deteriorate and the permanent teeth start coming in behind.) This results in several pulled at once so to avoid that being $20 dollars from the tooth fairy it may only be $8 to $10.” 
Does the Tooth Fairy Give Bonus for Holidays and Other Things?
Yes, absolutely! I saw several posts mentioning that when kids happened to lose teeth on holidays, or in special ways, they would get a bonus for that tooth. I think this sounds like a fun idea that can break up the regularly scheduled Tooth Fairy plan from time to time.
Image reads: “$5 if first tooth or if it’s a holiday like Christmas and they lose a tooth. Other than that our Tooth Fairy leaves one gold dollar.” 
Image reads: “She got $20 for the first tooth because it happened while we were on vacation, so it was a “special” occasion. We explained she shouldn’t expect more than $5 per tooth thereafter, and only if she puts them under her pillow . . . she hasn’t wanted to with the last 2 teeth she lost.” 
Image reads: “We’ve given $5 for first tooth, one instance a kiddo lost two in the same day so they got maybe $10. Another time a kiddo lost one at school, so they got $5. I’d love for $2 a tooth, but these kids keep losing them under weird circumstances!
Does the Tooth Fairy Give Special Coins and Money?
I think my favorite Tooth Fairy idea is to give special money. Special coins like gold dollars and Kennedy half dollars and two dollar bills were mentioned quite often. I feel like it is a way that I can make the Tooth Fairy feel special, without having to spend a ton of money on each tooth. Although, I also like the glitter dollar idea in a pinch.
A couple of parents also mentioned giving money from other countries to make it seem more special to their child. I think this is a fun idea, too.
Parents felt that the special money added to the magic of the Tooth Fairy. Especially since in cartoons and books, the Tooth Fairy is typically depicted giving out coins.
So when the time comes, I’ll definitely be heading down to my bank to see if I can get a couple of rolls of gold coins. I’m also hoping I can offer to exchange some of their tooth fairy money for paper money later on so that I don’t have to keep going back to the bank for more gold coins.
Image reads: “Our tooth fairy brings a golden dollar coin. I think she gets a roll from the bank. ;)”
Image reads: “We were told the tooth fairy brings paper money to our neighbors, but we all know the tooth fairy carries a sack of coins in all depictions on TV and in comic print. Our son finds two half dollar coins in his tooth fairy pillow when his lost teeth are clean. If he doesn’t brush, he misses out.” 
Image reads: “The tooth fairy gives my son “cool” money. Like silver dollars, half dollars and $2 bills.”
Image reads: Gold dollar for first lost tooth then silver dollars for everyone after.
Books & Things Other Than Money
Several parents didn’t do money at all, they’d do books, tooth-related items, Dollar Tree gifts, small toys like cars, etc. Honestly, I feel conflicted about this because as a child knowing there was no such thing as a Tooth Fairy I really looked forward to getting a pack of Pokemon cards for my teeth.
However, if you’re trying to stick with the magic of the Tooth Fairy, I’m skeptical that you’d be able to go the route and not have your kids find out sooner than they would have if you’d gone the money route.
Image reads: “I lucked out and my son thinks the tooth fairy brings a can of Pringles. It’s a long story.”
Image reads: “$1 toy from the Dollar Tree. We don’t do money lol.”
Image reads: Inspired by Little Bear getting a whistle, we give books . . . generally about teeth or narwhals . . . sometimes just a random topic . . . I keep new book stash for emergencies that the tooth fairy grabs from.”
Image reads: “Tooth fairy does a toy or book. If my kids get $, then want to go out and spend. The tooth fairy knows I don’t want to go out shopping. Haha.”
Image reads: “Since my child knows mommy is the tooth fairy, it costs me a pack of Pokemon cards now.”
One Time Tooth Fairies
Image reads: “I haven’t don’t the exchange for all teeth that fell out, waiting for all to come out then a bonus amount will be under the pillow.”
Image reads: “1 chocolate for firth time, and after that tooth fairy never came back because it comes just 1 time on the first tooth.”
Whatever We Had on Hand
These answers made me laugh so hard because I know this is going to end up being me. I never have cash on hand. Do you think the Tooth Fairy will learn Venmo any time soon?
Image reads: “Whatever cash she had on hand. Sometimes a pile of change, sometimes $10. It’s always a fun surprise lol”
Image reads: “The tooth fairy at my house had to give 20 bucks bc that’s all she had a couple of times . . . she became a broke tooth fairy.”
Image reads: “Whatever we have lying around in my wallet! Sometimes that can be $1.20, the next time it could be $4.05.”
Grandma’s Making Tooth Fairies More Generous Everywhere
The tricky thing about the tooth fairy is that sometimes the regular tooth fairy is out of the office, and a much more generous tooth fairy may step in from time to time and throw all your carefully measured plans out the window.
Image reads: “Mine gets $2 bucks a tooth. Except for the one he lost at grandma’s. She gave him $20 and now my kid wonders why the tooth fairy at grandma’s is nicer.”
Image reads: “My kids got $.50 per tooth. My grand baby got . . . $50! Don’t judge me! She’s my only one! I had to look at the cost of living, toy prices . . . you know . . . important stuff!”
Other Answers That Made Me Laugh
And because sometimes scrambling for money at the last minute because your kid’s tooth just randomly decided to fall out can be stressful, I think we deserve some humor from parents who get it.
Image reads: “I had a very bad relationship with the Tooth Fairy. She once left my daughter like 63 cents and a note.”
Image reads: “Don’t drink and tooth fairy . . . that’s a hundred bucks I couldn’t get back.”
Image reads: “My dad had the most brilliant plan when I was a kid! The tooth fairy gave up $1. So one day my dad says, ‘You know, I like your baby teeth, too. I’d like to have them as a keepsake. So I’ll make you a deal. If you give your teeth to me instead, I’ll double the tooth fairy’s pay our and give you $2 each tooth!’ It worked like a charm.”
Image reads: “Telling the truth that there is no tooth fairy? Priceless.”
Overall?
Pretty much, if I’ve learned anything from reading these answers, it’s that anything goes when the Tooth Fairy is involved. Decide what you think is fun and right for your family and have fun with it. After all, the Tooth Fairy is supposed to be something that’s fun, not something to stress about.
So, how long did you believe in the Tooth Fairy? Let me know in the comments below!
