When I would lose a tooth as a child, I would save it and put it under my pillow for the Tooth Fairy. I would usually get whatever loose change my parents had on hand, but on occasion I would really strike it rich and get a dollar. Seems like kids expect more from the Tooth Fairy these days – inflation and all.
The Tooth Fairy tradition may soon be coming to an end for many families. It is now possible to bank the stem cells from your child’s baby teeth and save them for future use – they could potentially even save your child’s life some day.
Many are already familiar with the idea of banking the stem cell-rich blood from a newborn baby’s umbilical cord. These stem cells can be used later in life to treat a variety of potential illnesses that may develop. The process, however, is expensive. The initial fee is between $2,000 to $3,000, and a maintenance fee of about $100 a year is required.
Advances in stem cell research and medical applications is happening at an incredible pace. The stem cells harvested from the dental pulp of a tooth can potentially be used to treat a myriad of illnesses in the near future. Just few examples of stem cell applications that are being explored include treatments for heart disease, neurological disorders, bone and cartilage issues, and many others.
Banking baby teeth has advantages over the banking of umbilical cord blood. For starters, it’s much more affordable. The initial fee is only about 1/3 to 1 /2 that of umbilical cord banking. Another advantage is the fact that baby teeth continue to fall out over the course of a few years, and you can start banking them at any time during this period. With umbilical cord banking, however, you only get one opportunity. If you choose not to bank the cord blood – for whatever reason – too bad. It’s just too late.
In addition to banking baby teeth, you can also bank teeth that are extracted for other purposes, like when your wisdom teeth are pulled or when you need to have teeth pulled before braces are applied. This means many can start banking their teeth during their teen years, or even into adulthood.
A company called Provia is already providing a tooth banking service. The company works directly with your local dentist who packages and ships the tooth (via overnight delivery) to the company’s laboratory where it is prepared for long-term storage. It’s important to emphasize that the tooth must be prepared for storage at the lab within 48 hours of falling out. If you wait any longer than that, the stem cells will die.
Provia’s website: http://www.stemcellsforacure.com/
