PULLING WISDOM TEETH
MAY NOT BE WISE
LY D I A H E S S
MOST PEOPLE EXPECT to have their wisdom teeth pulled because that has been the common practice for decades. The thinking is that wisdom teeth (third molars) have to come out when a person reaches young adulthood. The argument for doing so: leaving the teeth in will eventually result in problems, such as infection, gum disease, abscesses, cysts and even tumors. Dr. Greg Huang, Chairman of the UW Department of Orthodontics, is using a network of 50 practicing dentists to investigate thirdmolar management. While results aren’t in yet, Huang advises parents to talk to their child’s dentist or orthodontist to determine if an X-ray indicates potential problems, or if these molars are developing normally. It may be, Huang says, that for those whose wisdom teeth are developing normally, a watchful waiting approach may be reasonable. While these unpleasant problems may come to the fore in some people, there is limited evidence on how frequently these problems really occur. In Great Britain, the National Health Services no longer pays for precautionary removal of asymptomatic third molars, since there is no reliable evidence that it is beneficial.
MORE PRESSURE
SARAH VITAL, PROJECT INFORMATION LITERACY
LESS TECH WHEN THE GOING GETS tough, the tough leave some—but not all—technology behind. A UW Information School study found that college students—only weeks away from final exams and studying in the library—intentionally pared down their use of information technology (IT) devices. “Our findings belie conventional wisdom about the ‘multitasking generation’ that’s always online, always using a variety of IT devices to communicate, game and do homework,” says Alison Head, a research scientist who led the study with Mike Eisenberg, professor and dean emeritus at the Information School.
Researchers conducted 560 interviews with undergraduates on 10 U.S. campuses, including the UW, the University of Puget Sound, City College of San Francisco, Ohio State University and Tufts University. Among the findings: • 85 percent had only one or two devices running at the time they were interviewed • 40 percent had their cell phones paired with a laptop • 61 percent had only one or two websites open and in use • 60 percent had checked for messages on Facebook, Twitter, or texts—but they were also preparing assignments for submission during the previous hour. The bottom line: today’s students are savvy about technology—even about scaling back or shutting down under certain circumstances.
March 2012
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