Benefits of storing your child's baby teeth

"My tooth is loose!"- this is a big milestone in your child's life. Baby teeth have to fall out to make room for permanent teeth and continues until the final molars (aka called wisdom teeth) are in. Some children lose their first tooth as early as 4 or as late as 7. Generally speaking, the younger they were when they came in, the earlier they fall out.

Next time your child looses a tooth you should consider having the tooth fairy store it in a tooth bank. Researchers at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research have discovered that baby teeth contain valuable stem cells. These stem cells can transform into any cell type. If your child develops a serious condition that causes damage to his/her organs these stem cells can actually repair the damaged cells in those locations. Also, the stem cells found in baby teeth are among the most powerful in the human body. They multiply much faster and last longer than stem cells from another area.

This can save your child's life and eliminates the need to wait for a bone marrow donor if your child ever needs one. Their body is also likely to accept the stem cells – unlike cells from a donor. As stem cells age, they become less potent. If your child needs stem cells as an adult, their current teeth in their mouth will no longer be very useful.

There are many facilities that will store your child tooth for a fee. They collect the tooth in a temperature-controlled kit. Once the tooth arrives, they extract the stem cells and place them in a culture where they can grow.

#loosetooth #stemcells #firsttooth #NationalInstituteofDentalandCraniofacialRes