The cost-of-living crisis spares no one, with a regular night-time visitor to Aussie homes feeling the pain over recent years.
A new survey of 25,000 Australians by the Australian Dental Association (ADA) found the tooth fairy was, on average, now forking out more than $6 a visit.
ADA Oral Health Promoter Monica Farrelly said the survey, which probed a range of dental habits, found $6.20 was the average amount the tooth fairy left per tooth.
“It was $2 a tooth 25 years ago, around a third of today’s rate,” Dr Farrelly said.
She said the survey also found 43 percent of parents regularly struggled to get children to clean their teeth, while 15 percent of children didn’t stay in the bathroom to brush and floss, and wandered around the house, onto the balcony or out into the garden.
“This presents a choking hazard with young children, and they won’t be getting the job done properly without a mirror or adult assistance.”
Dr Farrelly said it wasn’t just children being distracted, as one in five (19 percent) of Australian adults multitasked while teeth cleaning.
She said 31 percent of survey respondents said they used their phone while brushing, while 16 percent did household chores like cleaning and laundry, 12 percent listened to music or a podcast, 10 percent shaving or did skincare, six percent went to the toilet and five percent took a shower, watched TV, exercised or cooked.
“How some of these other tasks are executed with any accuracy is hard to imagine.
“The important thing is to literally stand still in front of a mirror when you’re brushing and flossing so you can see if you are doing it correctly. Without a reflection to see, there’s a degree of guesswork.”
Other survey facts:
- 21 percent become nervous before visiting a dentist for a check-up.
- 42 percent of couples use different coloured toothbrushes to avoid using each other’s.
- 47 percent don’t know what toothbrush bristle strength is suitable for them.
- 73 percent normally brush their teeth for less than the recommended 2 minutes per session.
- Nearly one in five people clean their tongue daily.
