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Community Corner

The Candy Conundrum

What To Do That Will Please Both Your Trick-Or-Treater And Their Teeth?

After all the Halloween treats have been collected, the "trick" becomes what to do with pillowcases packed with sweets so that tooth decay and dental emergencies are not in your child’s immediate future.

This is the perfect time of year to talk about cavity prevention and good oral hygiene. Beyond that, parents don’t need to feel like party poopers spoiling the fun or pillaging the profits of the evening. There are workable solutions that can make both sides smile.

To decrease your trick-or-treater’s stash, Madison dentist  will participate in a Halloween Candy Buy-Back through Operation Gratitude, as his office has done for the past two years.

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“Basically, the idea is to as quickly as possible to get the candy away from the children – to have some fun with it but Halloween is on the 31st, so we’re going to do it on November 2nd,” says Jennifer Johnson.

Johnson explains, “We set up the office with little treats for them – healthy snacks, cider – and we actually give them money for the candy. We buy it for $1 per pound, and the candy is then sent to soldiers, so it’s a double kind of thing.”

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Last year, at least 12 large boxes, or a total of 440 pounds, was collected last year.

“The kids come fast and furious. They’re all really, really good about it but some of them are just thrilled to be helping the soldiers too. It’s really kind of cute,” she said.

Dr. Friedler will be giving away dollars and electric glowing toothbrushes in exchange for cavity-provoking candy. 

"Ditch the candy, that’s what we’re saying. Visiting your dentist twice a year and brushing daily are great preventative measures, but doing away with excess sweets altogether would really give your teeth a healthy boost," says Dr. Friedler. "Kids can still have all of the fun of trick-or-treating, and now their piggy banks will benefit as well." 

Channel 8’s Meteorologist Gil Simmons attended the successful buyback last year and the year prior. “Chances are he will probably come again,” according to Johnson.

Halloween Candy Buy-Back's founder Carolyn Blashek explains, "While the program initially started as a Dentist 'Buy-Back,' it has expanded dramatically to include schools, community centers, restaurant chains, offices, etc., collecting Halloween candy and sending it to us to include in our care packages."  

"In 2010, over 1,700 dentists on the site and Operation Gratitude received 250,000 pounds/125 tons of candy!," according to Dr. Chris Kammer, the dentist who started the ball rolling four years ago.

For additional information on this nationwide program, please visit www.halloweencandybuyback.com

Doctors’ Do's & Don'ts

Realistically, 100 percent of your child’s candy will not be sent to troops deployed overseas. Thus, here are a few dos and don’ts from area specialists:.

Dr. Friedler's don’ts include chewy, sticky and hard candy such as taffy, gum, jelly beans, licorice and caramels. Better choices include soft candy such as peanut butter cups and chocolate as these melt in the mouth.

“Limit your child to a few pieces of candy each day and have your child eat them as dessert after a meal.  Whenever your child eats sweets, he or she should brush thoroughly with a fluoride toothpaste afterwards,” his website reads.

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