Attention, parents! You may want to keep your children’s baby teeth

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Cryopreservation of baby teeth, also called “dental bank”

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Although the research is far from complete, dentists and stem cell researchers have teamed up to create stem cell banks for teeth. These banks include Store-A-Tooth and ToothBank. Teeth are sent to a lab where stem cells are extracted. They are then stored in a culture where they can grow. These cells are then harvested and cryopreserved. (4)

If you’re considering saving your children’s teeth, prepare for a serious financial shock: Store-A-Tooth requires an upfront fee of $1,747, followed by an additional annual fee of $120. Scientists have no way of predicting when the research and technology to actually use these stem cells will be ready. That means you could be spending a lot of money on something you’ll never benefit from. (4)

Further research on stem cells is needed

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