Latest studies on dental DNA and stem cells may result in revolutionary findings that would possibly make many patients feel more assured about their future state of health, as the cure of many potential diseases could be literally hidden in their pearly smiles.
Group of microbiologists and immunologists from Medical University of South Carolina led by Dr. Michael Schmidt is on a frontier of a sensational discovery — collecting the stem cells that may be further used to reproduce other cells or the entire organs affected by potential diseases.
Dr. Schmidt claims that the stem cells may be used as a base for biologic building material: the right combination of chemicals allows to expand them and reproduce the necessary quantities.
Ten years ago a big number of parents from many regions globally were willing to preserve stem cells from their children?s cord blood, a procedure made short time after birth.
National Cord Blood Registry records show that thousands of blood cord samples are preserved in the laboratories across the country.
Latest findings indicate that blood cord blood collection is not the only way of stem cells harvesting.
Medics have discovered that child?s baby teeth are another source of stem cells and working on development of new harvesting technique.
Dr. Schmidt believes that baby teeth do contain the necessary stem cells that can be actually recovered. He also states that cord blood still remains the most important source of this biologic material, but baby teeth give parents a potential possibility to still preserve stem cells later on.
