Stem cells in the pulp of the tooth can treat diseases. look

How much is the value of the milk age? This is certainly a suspicion children who believe in the legend of the “tooth fairy” and hope to find a coin under their pillow after losing a tooth. Financially, we can’t estimate. But in terms of health, this value is high.

This is because stem cells present within baby teeth have a therapeutic potential to restore damaged or lost cells and tissues as a result of various diseases. That’s what explains Dr. and scientist Caroline Sassi-Ugliari, who has a Ph.D. in Regenerative Biology and Stem Cells.

“Autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, neurological diseases such as Huntington’s disease and stroke, depression, periodontitis, COVID-19, are some of the treatments being tested using stem cells of dental origin,” explains Caroline.

“The younger stem cells are collected, the better their regenerative potential. Dental pulp collection is another opportunity to obtain modern biological material. Regenerative cell therapy may serve in the future according to the results of clinical trials,” he says.

According to the specialist, the stem cells from the dental pulp are of the stromal type. This type has great striking ability and reduces the risk of promoting rejection when used from one person to another. However, Caroline points out that the amount of cells in the pulp of the tooth is smaller than in the tissue of the umbilical cord.

He compares, “From the umbilical cord tissue, we were able to extract a much larger amount of mesenchymal cells to start a culture, to expand it. The pulp of the tooth contains a slightly smaller number of cells.” “But the pulp of deciduous teeth is a very important alternative for parents who cannot collect tissue from their babies’ umbilical cords during childbirth,” he says.

How are these stem cells collected?

Pulp extraction is a non-surgical procedure that can occur during a child’s teething period, between 5 and 12 years of age. According to Caroline, it is important to collect cells before a tooth falls out. Adults already have the possibility to collect wisdom teeth at the time of their extraction.

“The collection and storage of this biological material is a stand-in for anyone who wants greater family security in case of potential need. The role of stem cells, whether from the pulp of the tooth or from umbilical cord tissue, cord or other tissues, is to be a source of stored biological material, enabling It allows modifications to be studied and corrected and treatments produced in a personalized and specific way,” Caroline assesses.