Ice cream & pain • Distracted driving • Sexual-assault update

• Ice cream & pain

Ice cream and cold drinks can cause brain freeze and tooth sensitivity. The two somewhat similar reactions are completely unrelated, however. According to researchers at the University of Pennsylvania medical and dental schools, brain freeze occurs when cold temperatures touch a nerve responsible for facial sensation, leading to discomfort in the forehead or face. This can usually be avoided by enjoying the sweet treat slowly. Tooth sensitivity, on the other hand, may indicate more serious problems such as enamel breakdown or gum disease, and could warrant a visit to the dentist.

• Distracted driving

Distracted driving is on the rise, and parents of young children are among those letting technology get in the way of safe driving. A study from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia reveals that about half of parents talked on a cell phone while driving their children between the ages of 4 and 10. One in three read text messages, and one in seven used social media.

• Sexual-assault update

The online encyclopedia Wikipedia has a role to play in reducing sexual assault, but only if relevant entries are kept up to date. Using research from the University of Pennsylvania’s Ortner Center on Violence & Abuse in Relationships, Professor Susan Sorenson and her team have updated more than 50 Wikipedia pages on topics from domestic violence to female genital mutilation. Their work disseminates the latest findings to the general public and policymakers alike.