However, a December poll showed the average Tooth Fairy gift in the southern region, which includes Oklahoma, was $4.12; up from the South’s 2015-2016 average of $3.63.

According to the Original Tooth Fairy Poll, sponsored by Delta Dental, the Tooth Fairy’s cash gifts dropped to an average of $4.13 nationwide. The Original Tooth Fairy Poll has typically served as a good indicator of the economy’s overall direction, tracking with the movement of Standard & Poor’s 500 index (S&P 500) for 12 of the past 14 years.

Tooth Fairy stats:

• The Tooth Fairy visits 84 percent of the nation’s households with children.
• Tooth pick-ups are more frequently forgotten in the South (47 percent) compared to other U.S. regions.
• Fifty-five percent of parents confess that the Tooth Fairy may have missed a visit at some time.
• While the Tooth Fairy leaves money at 95 percent of the homes she visits, some parents say that the Tooth Fairy also leaves a small toy or game (47 percent), a letter from the Tooth Fairy (35 percent) or a tooth brush (31 percent) in addition to or instead of money.

“Delta Dental of Oklahoma has a not-for-profit mission to advance the oral wellness of all Oklahomans,” said John Gladden, president and CEO, Delta Dental of Oklahoma. “We are pleased to see the Tooth Fairy is leaving monetary gifts in our region that help our organization reinforce the critical importance of good oral health for children.”

About the Survey: The Original Tooth Fairy Poll was conducted between December 13 and December 28, 2017, among a nationally representative sample of 1,007 parents of children ages 6-12. The margin of error is +/- 3.1 percent.