Skip to content

Forgot To Think

Interesting Stories From All Over The World

Menu
  • About Us
  • DMCA/Removal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Submit Content
Menu

Doctors Are Urging Parents Everywhere To Keep Their Kids’ Baby Teeth

Posted on June 25, 2018 by Sasha

Losing a first tooth is something of a rite of passage for kids everywhere. It’s a sign that you’re growing up and getting bigger! And if you’re like a lot of families, it also means a little cash under your pillow in the morning from the “tooth fairy.”

If you grew up to have kids of your own, you may have even taken on the time-honoured role of the tooth fairy and slipped some money under your kids’ pillows to celebrate this new stage in their lives.

But what do you do with the tooth after you swap it out for a dollar? Some people keep them as sentimental keepsakes, but many simply toss them. After all, what can a shed baby tooth really do for you?

Well, as it turns out, quite a bit.

A study in 2003 showed that baby teeth are a rich source of stem cells, which are like protocells that can be grown into multiple kinds of cells if needed.

That means that if later in life, a child needs replacement tissue for whatever reason, the stem cells from their baby teeth can be used to grow the needed tissue. Pretty amazing!

Potentially, the practice of storing baby teeth could save lives and treat a variety of ailments. Read on to learn more about this amazing process.

keeping baby teeth

Losing baby teeth, or deciduous teeth as they’re properly known, is a rite of passage for kids everywhere.

keeping baby teeth

Most of us can remember that first little wiggle that let us know a change was coming, and then the weird absence of a tooth when it finally fell out.

But what we remember the most? The promise of a cash reward, courtesy of the tooth fairy!

keeping baby teeth

The tradition of the tooth fairy actually goes back pretty far.

Some link it back to old Norse culture, where baby teeth were considered good luck.

Other cultures around the world also have specific traditions involving baby teeth.

keeping baby teeth

As it turns out, baby teeth really can bring good fortune, but in a more scientific sense.

keeping baby teeth

In 2003, a study determined that baby teeth contain stem cells that, if preserved quickly after falling out, can be stored for years and kept in case of later medical problems in life.

keeping baby teeth

Getting a dollar for a baby tooth is pretty cool, but getting the chance to grow heart cells from an old tooth? Now that’s awesome.

keeping baby teeth

In order to preserve the stem cells, the baby teeth have to be kept fresh. Like anything, stem cells degrade and lose their potency over time.

keeping baby teeth

Unfortunately, simply keeping your child’s baby teeth in a box isn’t going to cut it.

Instead, parents can use services like Store-A-Tooth to properly preserve their children’s teeth.

keeping baby teeth

To use the Store-A-Tooth service, you will need to coordinate with your dentist before you child’s teeth come out.

Your dentist with work with the Store-A-Tooth staff to safely ship your child’s teeth, where the stem cells will be stored for potential future use (though hopefully they’ll never be needed).

keeping baby teeth

The stem cells are extracted from the teeth and placed in a liquid nitrogen cryopreservation vault, where they will remain intact and usable for years.

If later in life, the child needs their stem cells, the samples are taken out of storage and shipped to their doctor.

keeping baby teeth

Store-A-Tooth is a bit of an investment, but it’s worth the cost to know that your child’s stem cells will always be on hand in the case of a medical emergency.

keeping baby teeth

It seems like all the cultures that had superstitions about the power of baby teeth were, in a strange way, actually onto something!

keeping baby teeth

If you’d like to know more about storing baby teeth for your kids or grandkids, check out the Store-A-Tooth website for more information.

keeping baby teeth

Be sure to SHARE this important information with anyone you know who might be handling tooth fairy duties soon!

©2023 Forgot To Think | Design: Newspaperly WordPress Theme
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT