The first tooth: how much, and why it's special
A first lost tooth only happens once. Parents know it, and the going rate shows it: about $7.17 for a first tooth in 2026, above the everyday average.
First tooth (2026): ~$7.17 nationally · Everyday average: ~$5.84 · 38% of parents deliberately leave extra for tooth #1.
Why the premium is real
This isn't a made-up markup. It's in the data. The 2026 Delta Dental Original Tooth Fairy Poll found the first tooth commands a documented premium, with more than a third of parents intentionally leaving more. The first wobbly tooth, the gap-toothed grin, the pillow ceremony: it's a genuine milestone, and leaning into it is part of the fun.
What to actually leave
The national first-tooth figure (~$7.17) is a friendly benchmark. If your region runs higher or lower overall, you can nudge from there. But honestly, a round, memorable number your child will be thrilled by beats precision. There's no wrong answer.
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Make it about more than the coins
Ask any grown-up what they remember about the tooth fairy and it won't be the amount. It'll be the ritual. Small ceremonies punch above their weight:
Log the tooth together. Which one, what date: a tiny record your child helps make. It turns a rushed night into a shared moment.
Leave a keepsake note. A short line from the fairy, saved somewhere your child can reread it.
Mark the milestone. A first-tooth certificate or photo becomes the thing that actually gets remembered.
LumiJar was built around exactly this: logging the tooth, keeping the keepsakes, and turning the first-tooth moment into the start of good money and healthy-teeth habits.The first tooth is a beginning. LumiJar turns it into money habits that stick, and makes sure the fairy never forgets.
See how LumiJar works
LumiJar turns the tooth fairy into a lesson in saving, with Jarly keeping it going all year.