It’s time for the tooth fairy to make her first visit!
Your once-little bundle of joy has lost their first tooth. And they’re quite excited about what the good fairy will get for them.
You’ve already decided that a book and their favorite candy will be a perfect gift from the illustrious being. But now that you’ve solved that problem, you have to deal with another dilemma; what to do with the tooth!
Sure, you could fashion them into jewelry, store them in a keepsake box, or just put them away in a drawer. But that’s not really your style. Here are a couple of ideas that might be up your alley:
Bury Them
One of the more common methods of disposal; a lot of parents just bury their baby’s teeth in the backyard or even in a flower pot, never to be unearthed again.
Why, you ask?
The answer lies in the symbolism of the act.
Burying baby teeth carries a lot of different meanings in different cultures; in particular, American Indian tribes. The buried baby teeth are often accompanied with branches, herbs, and branches. The tooth is buried east of a sage bush.
According to Turkish customs, the tooth is buried in a place that has a connection to their child. So if they want their child to have a career in the scholarly arts, they would bury it in the grounds of a university or a library.
Whatever your belief might be, if there is some tradition in your family or culture that calls for the tooth to be buried, go ahead with the plan!
Save it for Stem Cells
Although research is still in its early stages, the results have been quite promising so far.
According to a study in the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, the stem cells found in baby teeth are unique in structure. After the teeth were examined, it was found that the stem cells in these teeth could be manipulated and used to not just repair tooth damage, but also treat neural injury and induce bone regeneration.
Similar to the benefits of harvested stem cells from a baby’s umbilical cord blood, the study conducted on these stem cells from baby teeth—while still in the early developmental phase—offers a lot of information on how these teeth, and almost every element of the human body, can provide us with many medical solutions.
Given that all you have to do is store the tooth in a reliable stem cell bank, it shouldn’t be much of a problem to drive there with the tooth in tow.
Interested in Learning about Baby Tooth Care?
Book an appointment at Our Children’s Dentist!
Offering pediatric dental care in Houston, TX to all; we can answer your questions and give you the dental care you need.
Call us today at 713-909-3743.
