Stem Cells found in Teeth; Information from our Riverside Cosmetic Dental Office

I am always amazed at how science and technology continue to revolutionize the medical and dental world.  With that said, I want to share with you some information I have come across regarding teeth and stem cells.  First off, let me briefly explain how stem cells are used when treating certain diseases and injuries.  A stem cell is a cell that is undifferentiated, meaning with science we can alter that cell and grow it into tissue, bone, nerves, muscles etc.

The majority of research to date has been on umbilical cord stem cells which are derived from the blood in the umbilical cord.  Until recently, the stem cells from the umbilical cord have proven themselves to be superior to other stem cells found in the body.  The reason for this is that “adult stem cells” have only the ability to transform into the tissue from which they came from.  So now for the reason why I am so excited; recent research has shown that extracted teeth contain “adult stem cells”  which seem to have a much better ability to transform into other cells/tissue than any other “adult stem cell!”

Dental stem cells are found in the part of the tooth called the “pulp,” which most of us call the “root” of the tooth.  Dental stem cells can be taken from deciduous “baby” or permanent “adult” teeth and stored for a later date.  Of course, there is criteria to follow when examining if an extracted tooth is a candidate for dental stem cell retrieval.  It is exciting to me as a parent that I will be able to harvest dental stem cells from my children’s wisdom teeth and deciduous teeth  to protect their health for the future.  As more information surfaces regarding dental stem cells, I will post it on my blog.  Please call our Riverside cosmetic dental office for further questions you may have (951)686-3666.