We often think that wisdom teeth extractions are a bothersome surgery a patient needs to undergo in other to prevent complications in the future. But what if there was an even stronger reason to remove your wisdom teeth? What if a wisdom tooth could save your life in the future? Enter the era of Stem cells.
Stem cells have been all over the media in the last decade; and while some of the promises we’ve heard are outrageous; scientists have put a lot of faith on the ability of these little guys to save lives. And so far the results have been nothing but outstanding.
But what are stem cells?
We are made of cells: our hair, our skin, our organs and even our bones. Ordinary cells are specialized; that is, they serve a specific function in the body, and when they replicate, they create the same kind of cell, a bone cell will replicate into more cells. But, stem cells are not-specialized; they have no function within the body, but they can become a specialized cell, and scientists are finding they key to open that potential.
Think of it this way, before a kid goes to college he or she can potentially be anything, a doctor, a lawyer, an artist or an engineer. Biomedical sicneitis beleive that stem cells are like that, full of potential; and as such, scientist can use them to grow the specific kind of cell your body needs.
What do wisdom teeth have to do with stem cells?
Scientists have recently found that wisdom teeth are repositories of mesenchymal stem cells; and they have done a great deal of research on this kind of cell. Specialized laboratories offer very simple procedures to store those stem cells for future use. The dentist doesn’t need any special training; it’s just like any other wisdom tooth extraction.
But there is a caveat; stem cells in the wisdom tooth’s pulp degrade over time, the older we are, the less useful the stem cells are. Many scientists are recommending that parents extract their child’s wisdom tooth at a young age, as to preserve the integrity of the cells, and freeze them for future use.
While there is still a lot w don’t know about stem cellsl; its theoretical applications seem right out of a sci-fi novella. And even today, doctors are saving thousands of lives thanks to stem cells. A tooth extraction may save the life of your child in the future.