You may wonder what to do with your kid's teeth when they fall out, and it’s not unusual to hold onto them for a while. Losing a tooth for the first time is a big moment. There’s nothing weird about wanting to remember that.

To avoid unwanted bacteria growth, clean the tooth with soapy water and disinfect the tooth with rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab. Finally, dry with a cotton towel. Place the tooth in a special baby tooth box to keep all the teeth in one place.

Holding on to your kid’s teeth may be helpful in the future. In a few experimental studies, scientists took stem cells harvested from baby teeth to help fight against disease and cancer. It’s possible these stem cells could be used in the future, but scientists say there is a lot more research to do before we know for sure.

To save your baby’s harvested stem cells, you’ll have to go to a tooth-storing company recommended by your dentist. The process comes at a cost, up to $2,000 upfront.