Are Mainers Actually Pretty Stingy When It Comes To The Tooth Fairy?

How much did you parents pay out when you were a kid?

When I was around 5, I remember losing my first tooth. It was quite the affair in my house. It was loose for days, and my mom pretty much followed me around waiting for it to fall out. I think she was more afraid I'd swallow it, although I'm sure many kids have. But it was also my first introduction to the tooth fairy.

It would've been the late 70's... I think the next morning I found a dull, old quarter under my pillow that looked like it came from the bowels of my mom's purse. But of course, I knew it wasn't from her at all. The Tooth Fairy brought that sweet payout right to me. I'm sure I spent it on things to rot the rest of my teeth.

Turns out, the Tooth Fairy is pretty tight with the change purse in Maine.

In Maine, according to AskTheDentist.com, we have the second smallest payout in New England, at $3.06 per tooth. First off, that's like a 3000% increase over my first payout, sheesh. But, ranks second to last in all of New England. Massachusetts had the lowest at a mere $2.50 per tooth. Vermont was highest at $4.00 per tooth!

Of course, with all the influx of people moving to Maine from Massachusetts during the pandemic, we will be the New England cheapskates in no time. In that same article, they do talk about other things the Tooth Fairy could leave instead. Like foreign money, or small inexpensive gifts, instead of actual money. They urge old T.F. to get creative.

To be fair, I don't have any kids, so I don't really have a dog in this fight. But it seems most kids, before they have any real concept of money, won't give one crap how much is under their pillow. They'll just be psyched the Tooth Fairy came at all. Besides, save the disappointment for when some jerk at school tells them all about Santa Clause...

NOW HERE'S A BUNCH OF WAYS TO RUIN YOUR OWN TEETH ON MAINER'S FAVORITE SNACKS, AS WELL AS SOME PAUL BUNYAN PICKUP LINES....