Did you know that your baby teeth contain something valuable? Something that can be used later in life to treat different diseases?
It’s true! A doctor from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial research, Songtao Shi has carried out a study not too long ago that revealed our baby teeth contain on to two dozen valuable stem cells. Stem cells that can be used later in life for treating diseases. How fascinating is that?
Adult teeth only contain one type of stem cell while baby teeth contain completely different stem cells. Many experts in this field have been doing extensive research on what sort of impact the stem cells can have on organs like the heart, brain, and pancreas. These stem cells may be able to repair possible damage from some diseases.
For example, we now know these stem cells can regenerate into neurons, bone, and cartilage. This meaning that if need be these stem cells can be converted into pancreatic cells and save your life. In order to properly save the stem cell, you will need to freeze it while the stem cell is still alive. So sadly that old box of teeth you’ve been saving in your sock drawer won’t do any good.
Parents can use services like Store-A-Tooth to properly preserve their children’s teeth.
The teeth are placed in a liquid nitrogen cryopreservation vault, where the stem cells will remain intact and usable for years.
If later in life, the child, who may be an adult at this point, needs their stem cells, the teeth are taken out of storage and shipped to their doctor.
It seems like all the cultures that had superstitions about the power of baby teeth were, in a strange way, actually onto something!For more information on baby teeth and why they should be preserved please watch the video below.