Teeth are also a source of stem cells

Until a few years ago we knew that stem cells, those capable of dividing into more stem cells or becoming any other type of cell in the body, could be found in the bone marrow, in the umbilical cord and also in the amniotic fluid .

In 2013, researchers at the National Institute of Health confirmed that the pulp of baby teeth is a valuable source of stem cells that remain alive until shortly after the tooth falls out.

This type of cells discovered in the teeth allow the creation of dentin for the repair of the teeth themselves, but could also be used in much more complex treatments. They could be used to regenerate bones or treat neuronal lesions in diseases that are incurable today such as diabetes, cancer, heart attacks, and even help develop new tissues and bones, even years after the tooth has fallen out . Check out more at our Prince Blog.

Adult teeth also have them, but children’s milk teeth, less affected by environmental damage, have a much greater capacity to multiply and transform and help regenerate cells in other parts of the body.

The future of regenerative medicine

Stem cells from dental pulp could become a key part of regenerative medicine thanks to their multipotentiality .

What is the difference between dental and cord stem cells? Dental pulp contains mainly mesenchymal stem cells, while umbilical cord blood contains predominantly hematopoietic stem cells. Bone marrow, meanwhile, contains both types of stem cells.

While umbilical cord blood stem cells have proven valuable in regenerating blood cell types, dental stem cells can regenerate solid tissues, for which umbilical cord blood is less well suited, such as connective tissue repair, dental tissues, neural tissue and bone .

Thanks to this multi-capacity, they could be used in cases of diseases such as arthritis, spinal cord injuries, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis, as well as strokes, heart problems, liver diseases and burns.

Dental stem cells have also been shown to be capable of transforming into Beta cells to treat diabetes.

Baby tooth banks

In the light of scientific research, there are companies that saw the business and created banks of teeth, since it is not enough to keep them at home in a little box, but rather they must be preserved in a special way, frozen in liquid nitrogen, to be useful . if they are needed in the future.

New uses for dental stem cells are being discovered every time, although it is still a new field with much to explore. But it would certainly be easier than extracting them from the spinal cord or the umbilical cord.

To preserve them, you must contact the company beforehand, which will send a special kit and at the moment the tooth falls out or is extracted, it is immediately transported to the laboratory to cultivate and preserve the stem cells in adequate conditions.