Did he think these stem cells might be able to induce bone formation and the formation of neural tissue?
For bone, he hypothesized that these stem cells from a baby tooth are the ones that result in the bone that is put down around the new permanent tooth as it comes in.  These stem cells give the order to "make bone," so they've got the blueprint in them.  He felt that they could be given cues to induce bone formation.

As for neural tissue, the stem cells from teeth share a common origin with neural tissue.

As their research progresses, Dr. Songtao and his team members hope that stem cells from baby teeth may one day restore nerve cells damaged by diseases like Parkinson’s — one of the most common neurological disorders affecting the elderly.

Researchers believe that with the proper cues, they may be able to encourage the stem cells to form nerve-like tissues which may restore cells that make dopamine — a brain chemical that nerve cells need to function properly.

So what's the difference between what umbilical cord blood stem cells can do and what baby tooth stem cells can do?
Right now, researchers know that from umbilical cord blood they can get blood stem cells. They can't get the blood stem cells from baby teeth — but they can get the bone and neural cells.

What would parents have to do to bank their baby's teeth?
First, they will have to let the tooth fall out naturally, when it's ready to come out. It's like picking fruit when it’s just right.  Too soon won't work, and if you wait too long and the tooth is dangling there for weeks, you can't get stem cells from it either. Front teeth are the best for gathering stem cells.

The researchers say that it will be really simple.  All a parent will have to do is put the tooth in a vial in a culture medium, milk will do, and keep it wrapped in an ice pack at 40 degrees. Then send it to the center using an overnight delivery service.

Will the NIH set up centers, and what will be the cost?
The NIH wish they could, but the researchers at NIH can't set up centers to bank baby teeth internally because it would be a conflict of interest.  Outside firms will be the ones who will soon be taking care of the banking of the teeth.

We don't have exact costs yet, but researchers believe that it will cost a whole lot less than what umbilical cord banking now costs, so millions more Americans will be able to do it without breaking their bank.

Should parents consider doing this when it becomes available?
It's important to understand the difference between the current medical use of cord blood or stem cells from baby teeth and the promise that such cells hold in the future.

If you bank the stem cells from your child's baby teeth now, by the time, God forbid, your child or a sibling might need them, the research will have progressed to a point where those stem cells might be able to make a huge difference in your child's life. And it's so simple to do; it will likely be worth the extra effort.

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