Being a Dental Clinic in the heart of Leicester Smile Essential see a number of parents and children from every part of Leicestershire, from Anstey to Oadby. We always find it intriguing to discover what the tooth fairy pays in different part of the county and how the world in general sees the tooth fairy so we thought we would investigate this a little. Here are some things we discovered:
- It’s common for the tooth fairy to pay more for a first tooth
- The most common amount given to Leicester children is £1
- The tooth fairy pays more if the lost tooth has been looked after
- In America the average is $3.70
- Parents on the West side of Leicestershire pay more than those on the East side Leicestershire.
- If you accidentally lose the tooth you can leave a note detailing where the tooth was lost and the tooth fairy will try to find it and a leave some money.
- Not everybody believes that the tooth fairy is a female.
We found some interesting history on the tooth fairy thanks to Wikipedia–
During the Middle Ages, other superstitions arose surrounding children’s teeth. In England, for example, children were instructed to burn their baby teeth in order to save the child from hardship in the afterlife. Children who didn’t consign their baby teeth to the fire would spend eternity searching for them in the afterlife. The Vikings, it is said, paid children for their teeth. In the Norse culture, children’s teeth and other articles belonging to children, were said to bring good luck in battle, and Scandinavian warriors hung children’s teeth on a string around their necks. But there was another reason to burn or bury baby teeth: fear of witches. In medieval Europe, it was thought that if a witch were to get hold of one of your teeth, you could be in big trouble – possession of this part of your body might give them total power over you.
The modern incarnation of these traditions into an actual tooth fairy first appeared in print in 1927 in play for children by Esther Watkins Arnold.
So how much should you pay?
Taking into account our research from our Leicester children, parents and a little help from google and wikipedia we have the following guide from the tooth fairy recommending the following
- First tooth £2 (a large gold coin)
- All teeth after that £1 (a gold coin)
- If teeth have decay or aren’t looked after 50p
But remember this is just a guide and if teeth are particularly special or aren’t taken care of the tooth fairy may leave a different amount. 