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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Science
Tobi Thomas Health and inequalities correspondent

UK firms misleading parents with milk teeth autism treatment claims, report finds

STEM United Kingdom Stem Cells diabetes Autism BMJ
A child with missing milk teeth.
Tooth stem cell banking involves collecting and sending lost milk teeth to a laboratory where stem cells are harvested from the dental pulp. Photograph: Pratan Ounpitipong/Getty

Companies are making thousands of pounds by misleading parents with claims that collecting stem cells from their children’s teeth can be a treatment for diabetes and autism, an investigation has found.

Tooth stem cell banking, also known as dental pulp cell banking, involves parents collecting and sending lost milk teeth to a laboratory where stem cells are harvested from the dental pulp. Firms that advertise tooth banking services claim these stem cells can be used in treatments for conditions such as diabetes as well as for autism.

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