NatNews

While many individuals make sure that brushing their teeth is a part of their morning and before-bedtime routines, not everyone also prioritizes another important component of dental hygiene: flossing. Sure, it’s an extra task and might not be the most fun activity to some people, but it provides a variety of benefits, including removing food particles and plaque from between teeth, reducing the risk of cavities, removing bacteria that causes bad breath, and helping prevent gingivitis.

Dallas-area resident Lyndsey Kohn said she tries to floss after every meal but always makes sure that she does so at least every night. Along with her skincare routine, flossing has become part of what she calls her “comfort ritual.”

“After having braces in high school, I tended to have a higher likelihood of food being stuck in between my teeth after meals, so it just became a habit since then,” she said. “I don’t enjoy having the feeling of an unclean mouth. Flossing or brushing my teeth after a meal is my way of concluding a meal, in a sense. It’s like a shower for my mouth—and who doesn’t love a shower?”

The good news is that flossing doesn’t take a significant amount of time and is relatively inexpensive—you can get a three-pack for less than $10 on Amazon. Like Kohn, Dallas resident Jenny Schultz also believes that flossing is an essential part of maintaining quality hygiene, in general.

“Most days, I floss twice a day, and if it is a crazy day, I will only floss once,” she said. “Flossing and using the right floss can make a big difference in gum health and overall health.”

Is there an exact amount of how frequently one should floss, though? NatNews dear readers who took part in an investigative research initiative indicated that flossing once per day or every once in a while (38 percent and 32 percent, respectively) is the norm, while 20 percent of responders only floss when the dentist does it for them, and 10 percent floss after every meal. Dr. Trevor Shewski, dentist at Star Ranch Dental, said for most individuals, flossing once per day at night is sufficient.

“Plaque and bacteria love to hang out between the teeth, where the toothbrush head can’t reach, so making sure that these areas are cleaned out right before bed is important,” he said.

While no one is perfect in his or her health habits, it’s best not to skip flossing when possible. Floss’ ability to get between the teeth and disrupt the formation of dental plaque before it calcifies helps one practice better oral hygiene habits, something Kohn said her dentist drilled into her brain while growing up.

“You only get one set of teeth, so I want to take care of them as best as I can,” she said. “I’ve had some friends who ended up having a lot of cavities and root canals at my age, and it does affect your health (and wallet).”

Like Kohn’s childhood dentist, Shewski also tells his patients that brushing and flossing are two of the best things they can do for oral hygiene.

“We all have bacteria in our mouths and gut, but we want to make sure that the balance stays toward the good bacteria, not the bad,” he said. “The best way to do that is to eliminate their food source (plaque and tartar).”

There are certainly individuals who hate flossing or simply forget to do so most of the time. There are some alternatives, though they are a bit more expensive than a pack of floss.

“The next best thing to flossing is using a Waterpik,” Shewski said. “In fact, for patients who already have bone loss around the roots of their teeth, I recommend using a Waterpik. Another severely underrated component of oral health is drinking plenty of water.”

Just as ensuring that one gets enough water each day is part of overall health, for Kohn, taking care of one’s teeth is also a necessary aspect of an individual’s well-being.

“Your smile is the first thing people notice, in my opinion,” she said. “It’s just another thing to take care of as an act of self-care and love toward yourself.”

Similarly, Schultz said she makes a point to practice good dental hygiene because she thinks it is one of the keys to whole-body health.

“New research comes out all of the time linking poor dental hygiene to a long list of other health problems, and that is not something I am willing to play with,” she said. “If I am going to take the time to be active and try to eat well, why would I not add dental hygiene to my list?”

In castles, spiral staircases always ascend clockwise and were originally constructed this way to improve the defense of the building, as right-handed attackers with swords would have to advance with their left sides to the front.

Earlier this month, many avid moviegoers were saddened upon hearing the news of the closures of several local movie theaters, including all five Alamo Drafthouse locations in DFW (Dallas, Denton, Lake Highlands, Las Colinas, and Richardson) and the Angelika Film Center in Plano. However, last Wednesday, Sony Pictures Entertainment announced its acquisition of Alamo Drafthouse.

While movie theater attendance and profits aren’t back to pre-pandemic levels, individuals have not given up on going to the movies and, instead, solely watching entertainment on streaming platforms. In fact, a NatNews research poll revealed that 48 percent of dear readers who participated in the survey believe that watching movies in the theater is still an enjoyable pastime. Dallas-area resident Tory Castillo said he loves going to the movie theater and typically does so at least once a month.

“It’s a venue designed to give you the best viewing experience of the film,” he said. “It has great audio, great seats, great popcorn, and great snacks, and it’s always great to hear and feel others in the theater gasp when you do or get pumped up when you do.”

Dallas resident Elba Cruz, on the other hand, prefers to stay in for movie nights and doesn’t go to the theaters often (maybe two or three times a year). This isn’t because she dislikes such an outing, though.

“I do enjoy going to the theater and will go if I’m excited about a certain movie, but I tend to watch more movies at home,” she said. “It’s more convenient.”

Like Cruz, Southern California resident Hannah Chapman doesn’t venture out to theaters on a regular basis, but she also doesn’t have a preference as to whether she watches a film from a seat in a theater or from her sofa.

“I enjoy going to the movies,” she said. “However, I also like being at home and being able to pause if needed.”

While individuals tend to lean toward convenience, many also see a variety of benefits to being able to watch a movie with other eager fans in theaters and enjoy the idea that they can have the best of both worlds—streaming options when they want to do so and a movie outing on other occasions. Castillo said he’s optimistic about the future of movie theaters and believes that they will continue to make enough money to provide big-screen entertainment.

“Movie studios will find a way to keep that sense of pageantry alive,” he said. “Case in point is that Sony just bought all of the Alamo Drafthouses. It was illegal for studio houses to own movie theaters, but that changed around covid, I believe. Now with a movie studio owning a theater chain, it opens up all sorts of promotional opportunities—like unique premieres, actor appearances, meet-and-greets, reliving old studio films in the theater again, etc.—to the movie house.”

And he’s certainly not alone in his outlook. Even with various factors that could present potential issues and concerns, Cruz said she believes that moviegoers will still be willing to spend time and money in a shared entertainment experience.

“I do think movie theaters will continue to profit, as long as there are big releases that people are excited to see,” she said. “The problem is that going to the movies can be expensive, and there are plenty of options on streaming platforms.”

While Chapman is also optimistic, she said there may be some changes that need to be made from a business perspective.

“I think they may have to pivot their strategy to remain profitable,” she said. “Although, I do believe that that’s where studios make the most money, so they’re invested in keeping them alive.”

WEEKLY PHOTO OP

Welcome to Dallas, sweet Dani Vielhauer

Monday, June 17: Mavs vs. Celtics Game 5 Watch Party at the American Airlines Center
Tuesday, June 18: Free Rooftop Movie — Shrek 2 at Sundown at Granada; Dallasites101 June Speed Dating + Singles Mixer at Happiest Hour
Wednesday, June 19: Opal’s Walk for Freedom at the African American Museum of Dallas; 2024 Juneteenth Golf Classic at the Golf Club of Dallas
Thursday, June 20: Cool Thursdays Concert Series — The Motowners, Ultimate Motown Tribute Band at the Dallas Arboretum; Mad Hatter Martini Crawl at Grandscape; Sunset Sail on White Rock Lake
Friday, June 21: Rangers vs. Royals at Globe Life Field
Saturday, June 22: WRRC Saturday run from Taco Joint; Mambo Miles 5K at Klyde Warren Park; Backyard Pickleball Bash at Oasis Pickleball Club
Sunday, June 23: Copa America — United States vs. Bolivia at AT&T Stadium; Karaoke Night at Community Beer Co.