Local Tooth Fairy pays less than national average
There's a lot of talk about teeth in the Ehde household.
Our six-year-old is losing them and our 11-month-old is growing them. It seems there's almost daily discussion about teeth coming and going, often accompanied by thorough inventories of gums.
Carson has a hard time growing them. A single emerging tooth can cause sleepless nights for weeks at a time, and the teeniest change in health or mood is blamed on "cutting teeth."
Jonathan has much happier reasons to discuss teeth. Each one he loses represents a visit from the Tooth Fairy and more padding for his penny bank.
We're just glad kindergartners haven't learned to count U.S. currency, because I recently learned our Tooth Fairy pays considerably less than the national going rate.
According to a survey of 800 parents, Delta Dental found the average "gift" a young child's tooth receives rose to $1.60 in 2002 from $1.48 last year.
While that represents a rise of more than 8 percent, parents should know that increase is mild, compared with a 20-percent jump last year.
Delta released a very official statement on the findings.
"This was understandable, considering we were just coming out of the longest economic boom in modern times," said Delta research analyst Marty Weiland.
"Frankly, we were quite surprised that it rose at all in 2002, considering the recession we've been experiencing over the past year."
Delta's survey also showed that parents of today's children received approximately 38 cents on average for their own teeth.
I guess the Tooth Fairy at the Kroontje house in Kenneth also paid less than the going rate back then. I remember getting a quarter and being happy with it.
The Delta press release wrapped up with educational information on pediatric dental health.
"The Tooth Fairy is a rite of passage and provides an ideal opportunity for parents to instill good oral health habits for kids," said Dick Hastreiter a Delta dentist.
If that's the case, the Tooth Fairy should exchange teeth for tooth brushes and tooth paste.
My thoughts on all this?
First, who is this Marty Weiland and how much is Delta Dental paying a research analyst to study the Tooth Fairy? No wonder health insurance premiums are on the rise.
Second, Where does the Tooth Fairy live? We in the Midwest can always factor in a lower cost of living when negotiating salaries and, say, gifts from the Tooth Fairy.
Finally, I'm just glad kindergartners are still to young to read survey results. Our Tooth Fairy will continue to leave generous piles of change, which may or may not add up to the going rate of $1.60.
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