British children receive almost £24m each year from the Tooth Fairy, according to the results of a new nationwide survey highlighted by Evesham Dental Health Team in Worcestershire.
The poll, conducted by the Oral Health Foundation, found that the nation’s youngsters are receiving an average of £1.58 per tooth.
The charity surveyed more than 2,000 parents from across the UK, to find out how much the Tooth Fairy leaves for a child’s baby teeth when they fall out.
With roughly 15 million baby teeth falling out each year, it is estimated that the Tooth Fairy is shelling out £23.7 million annually, a whopping 43.6% more since 2011 (£16.5million).
Chief Executive of the Oral Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter OBE, says: “The Tooth Fairy business is increasingly lucrative and has seen major inflation in recent years, but it is really important that children are mindful of just how precious the baby teeth they are placing under their pillows are.
“Many believe that milk teeth don’t need to be healthy, as they will just fall out anyway, but this could not be further from the truth.
“The health of children’s baby teeth and their oral health in adulthood are closely linked so it is vital that a child’s mouth is kept clean and healthy. We want to see children’s milk teeth fall out naturally and healthily, free from signs of decay.”
Earlier this year, the Local Government Association (LGA) released statistics on children’s hospital operations and revealed there were nearly 43,000 tooth extractions in the last year, a growth of nearly a fifth compared with four years ago.
The main culprit in the UK for baby teeth needing to be extracted under general anaesthesia is tooth decay, caused by poor diet and oral health routines. Diet plays a huge part when it comes to oral health and unfortunately many children are consuming too much sugar, too often, which results in rotten teeth.
Give your child the best start possible – contact Evesham Dental Health Team in Broadway Road today!
