3 Things You Need To Know About Dental Stem Cells
What if I were to tell you that one day your child’s baby teeth could save their lives? Would you believe me? Well, it’s true. There is now a procedure that lets you extract stem cells from the fallen teeth of a child, which can then later be used to help cure a disease. So rather than the tooth fairy bringing a few dollars in the middle of the night, they could be saving your child’s life down the road. With this procedure still being relatively new however, we thought it would be a good idea to let you know the basics of it.
What Are Stem Cells?
First, we should go over exactly what stem cells are. They are a class of undifferentiated cells that have the ability to turn into specialized cells. In the past they have commonly come from two primary locations – Embryos and Adult tissue. There are two main things that seperate stem cells from other types of cells. First, they have the ability to renew themselves through the process of cell division, sometimes after being inactive for long stretches of time. Secondly, under certain conditions they are able to be forced into becoming specific tissue or organ cells that perform special functions.
Essentially, stem cells allow the body to repair itself in certain situations. Now, thanks to recent scientific discoveries, we are able to direct some of those stem cells to heal certain functions of the body. In today’s world, the need for organ transplants far outweighs the amount available. If stem cell technology were to progress, new organs could be grown from the patient’s own stem cells, rather than needing donors. This would allow for the treatment of things like heart disease, strokes, burns, diabetes, macular degeneration and spinal cord injuries.
Why You Should Save Your Child’s Stem Cells
There are many reasons that parents choose to store their child’s stem cells. One of the most common reasons given is that there is promising research being done in regenerative medicine. Many people at some point in their lives need some sort of regenerative therapy, and if the research should progress well, it will provide their child with help down the line should they need it.
When stored properly, stem cells will not expire, so to speak. They will remain safe for years to come, giving your child a bit of an insurance policy for the rest of their lives. Many conditions can not be predicted by family history, and there is currently many tests being performed in an attempt to evalute how effective stem cells can be at treating these conditions.
Lastly, when you store a child’s stem cells, you are ensuring that they always have a perfect match. Some families may have difficulty finding a match in the public banking system, and so you are guaranteeing that you will be able to find a perfect match by storing their stem cells from a young age. All parent’s want to keep their child healthy, and storing stem cells is a great way to ensure that in the future.
Why You Should Get Stem Cells Through Baby Teeth
Up until recently, extracting stem cells could be a costly and invasive procedure. Now however, you can do it with just your child’s baby teeth. Stem cells can be extracted from these teeth after they have fallen out, and stored for future use. This process is much simpler when it comes to getting your child’s stem cells, and it is also much more affordable. Dental stem cells makes the process of storing stem cells much more available to a wide range of people, making it possible for more people to get involved.
If you are interested in storing your child’s stem cells, you should consult with your doctor. They should be able to suggest a path that you can take in order to do so, and recommend clinics that you can visit. If not, you can visit this link for more information about storing stem cells through baby teeth.