This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Australia, which closed in 2021.

How Much Should The Tooth Fairy Give? According To An Australian Survey, It's Up From $2 In 1995 To $6

The Tooth Fairy Is Paying Out More Than Ever - And Cost Is Rising Faster Than Inflation
Tooth Fairy: brushing teeth with giant toothbrush
bobbieo via Getty Images
Tooth Fairy: brushing teeth with giant toothbrush

The Tooth Fairy must live in Brokesville because kids want more than loose change for a wriggly tooth these days, with one study showing under 12s now get a whopping $6 per tooth.

The survey, by insurance company Real Insurance, found the average cost of a tooth was $2 in 1995, $3 in 2005 and now $6 in 2015.

Now pearly whites aren't exactly as rare as hen's teeth. The average child loses 20 baby teeth, which adds up to $120. Spokesperson Tatiana Day said nationally, it was a significant amount.

“Australians are expected to spend $240 million to cover the Tooth Fairy costs for the current cohort of under 12 year olds across the country -- which means over the last 20 years the value of the average tooth has more than doubled," Day said.

It's not that kids today are money grabbing little terrors, but if these figures are correct, the tooth fairy is paying well above inflation.

Two dollars in 1995 money works out to be $3.26 in today's money, according to the RBA's nifty inflation calculator, based on the target rate of 2.6 percent.

And if mum or dad is today paying out $6 per tooth, in real time their single earnings would have had to grow from the average wage to $10,000 above average just to keep up with the tooth fairy.

The Tooth Fairy isn't the only one giving more to children, the Heritage Bank 2015 Australian Pocket Money Survey released in September showed pocket money had doubled since 2013 and the average child got $11.30 per week.

Close
This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Australia. Certain site features have been disabled. If you have questions or concerns, please check our FAQ or contact support@huffpost.com.