Tooth Storage: Bleach? EtOH? Gelatin? Ringer's? PBS? ESPN?

[trypmo]

Yet another tooth-collecting-related thread, but this one's about whether anybody knows a SPECIFIC formula for a solution in which to store/sterilize extracted teeth, preferably something that's nice and compliant with all the nasty regulations regarding biological waste (or would that be plain-ol' regulations regarding nasty biological waste?).

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[Bickle]

I was told to store them in a 1:10 diluted bleach solution.

 

[misogi]

I was told 1 part bleach to 10 parts water solution as well.

 

[trypmo]

Thanks for your quick replies!

That's weird, though, because:
(a) doesn't bleach supposedly alter the natural coloring of the tooth material after a while? and
(b) after a few days, diluted bleach loses its capacity to disinfect (learned this in a safety course once; it's perhaps the only useful thing I got from it).

But hey, if it's what ppl normally use, I'll go along if it means I can collect some teeth!

Any other recommendations?

 

[RaiderNation]

I'd go for ESPN. You get great sports coverage with a plethora of witty hosts. You can't beat that.

 

[Sam Spade]

Trypmo: What will you be doing with your collected teeth? I'll bet you've got something interesting planned for your DS -1.25 curriculum.. please share.

Sam

 

[UBTom]

Listerine is good too. And unlike bleach, you won't ruin your clothes if you accidently drip/spill some.

HTH.

 

[Mangocat]

Maybe Ringer's solution or Hanks Basic Salt Solution (HBSS)? Because those are used to keep tissue viable. But the d-students gotta confirm that one for me.

And I think you can't really get access to those unless you're in a lab or have shady connections-so maybe that isn't very plausible

 

[trypmo]

Listerine is good too. And unlike bleach, you won't ruin your clothes if you accidently drip/spill some.

HTH.

Aha: Listerine! That's the kind of thing I was trying to think of. Perhaps bleach solution for initial sterilizing, then listerine for storage. Hmm... now the question is whether I should get the minty kind, the orangey kind, or the rebarbative (original) kind.

And in response to Sam Spade: I guess I'm mainly thinking that if I do some collecting now, relatively slowly and passively, then I won't have to panic when it comes time to practice for real preps. If there's one thing I've learned from grad school, it's that if I prepare way in advance for something, then I end up thanking myself when the time comes to build on that preparation.

...or just call me weird.