In recent years, cryonics has become increasingly popular for preserving living tissue at low temperatures, hoping to bring people back to life in the future. Stem cells, which have the potential to regenerate cells and tissues, are a crucial component of this process. While stem cell therapy is primarily used for bone marrow transplantation, it holds great promise for treating many other conditions, including heart disease and multiple sclerosis.
One innovative way of harvesting stem cells is by storing children’s milk teeth. By rapidly placing a removed tooth in an isotonic solution and sending it to a laboratory for stem cell extraction and preservation, it can store many stem cells that could potentially be used in future medical treatments. While only a few thousand stem cells can be found in a single tooth, efforts are underway to multiply them into the millions needed for therapeutic purposes.
Storing stem cells from milk teeth varies by country, but in the UK, it typically costs around £1,500 for 30 years of storage. While the idea of storing milk teeth may seem unusual to some, it’s becoming increasingly common, with dentists recommending the practice as a way of safeguarding families’ future health.
As medical technology evolves, storing stem cells may become as commonplace as carrying a donor card or giving blood. The tooth fairy may no longer be the sole beneficiary of children’s lost teeth; instead, these teeth could save lives.