Not that kind of organ.

I mean organ (see number 6) in the sense of an information outlet.

My first abstract.
One thing that we need to get out of the way: if you look at the origins of the study, its lead author belongs to the department of onchology according to the Pub Med abstract. However, "onchology" is not a real word, but there is an oncology institute in Sheffield. I looked it up to make sure onchology wasn't the study of the urge to vomit when goo is introduced into the oral cavity.

That's what this study is about, the goo, or alginate, dentists and orthodontists use to take impressions of your teeth. I recall when first entering the world of orthodontia at the tender age of 11, I was offered a choice of flavors by the technician in the fancy scrubs. But no matter what kind I chose, strawberry or mint, I always felt ready to throw up after about 2 minutes. Apparently this is a common problem. So, these acupuncture-dentists try to solve it with needles.

Alginate is also used for life casting and making Hollywood masks.


This study by Palle Rosted and associates looked at the effectiveness of acupuncture in preventing dental patients from gagging when the alginate is placed in their mouths. They were surprisingly successful.

The dentists needled the patients in a spot directly below the lower lip, in the center of the chin at a spot denoted CV 24. CV24 stands for Conception Vessel 24 in the Chinese medicine map of meridians.

The Process
They first tried to get the impression tray in the participants' mouths, then the tray plus goo. Meanwhile the acupuncture-dentists collected information on the patients' gagging feelings. Next they applied the needle. Then they gave it another go with the goo.

Problems
The patients were chosen because they were unable to undergo normal dental procedures because of gagging, so people with a less severe problem with the process might not benefit in the same way. However, the goal of treating people with a serious difficulty receiving dental treatment was met and how widely it can be applied might not be so important.

Everybody got acupuncture. There was no comparison group to show that having someone spend an extra amount of time fussing over you won't cure your gagging issues.

The Last Part
I chose this study because it rates high on my gee whiz scale, mostly. I didn't know that gagging during dental procedures was common. I didn't know what alginate was. I didn't know what acupuncture point they were using and when I found out I wasn't sure why. Actually, I'm still not sure why they chose that point. Finally, I like that they took a very practical problem and used an unusual tool to solve it.