Tracking the Tooth Fairy Index

The S&P 500 now has an even more unusual competitor: the Tooth Fairy Index. The index is compiled based on an annual poll conducted by Delta Dental, a U.S.-based dental benefits carrier.

By Staff | March 1, 2013 | Last updated on March 1, 2013

1 min read

We’ve heard about indices that track the price movements of wines, rare coins and stamps. But the S&P 500 now has an even more unusual competitor: the Tooth Fairy Index.

The index is compiled based on an annual poll conducted by Delta Dental, a U.S.-based dental benefits carrier.

The poll gauges how generous the tiny fairy had been in the previous year. The Tooth Fairy Index then collects tooth fairy average giving and compares it to stock market activity to show how the value of a lost tooth relates to the U.S. economy.

The benefits carrier claims the poll has generally been a good barometer of the market’s overall direction. The index tracks the trend in tooth fairy giving with the movement of the S&P 500.

The average gift from the tooth fairy climbed to $2.42 last year, up from $2.10 in 2011, a 15.2% gain, while the S&P 500 gained 13.4%.

“As the leaders of the dental benefits industry, we look at all kinds of economic indicators,” said Bill Hupp, a spokesperson for Delta Dental Plans Association. “I’m happy to say that the Tooth Fairy delivered encouraging news about the country’s economic recovery in 2012.”

The data collected from the poll are shared with parents to help them instill good oral healthcare in their children.