Morris Park Dental holds annual ‘Candy Buy Back’

Morris Park Dental holds annual ‘Candy Buy Back’

Morris Park Dental held its annual candy buyback the day after Halloween, highlighting the imporatance of healthy eating, not just for teeth and gums, but also for peventing all kinds of health issues.

The dental office, located at 960 Morris Park Avenue, held the Candy Buy Back on Tuesday, Novemeber 1, paying children a dollar a pound for their Halloween goodies and also giving all the young visitors a chance to meet the tooth fairy and obtain a free tooth brush.

Buying back the candy in a creative way allows kids to enjoy Halloween and some of the treats they receive for a short while, while at the same time promoting good overall health, said Morris Park Dental consultant Wendy Rockford.

“Many of the problems with children today like ADD, ADHD, obestity and diabetes are all exacerbated by large amounts of sugar,” Rockford said. “The eating season, as it is known to dental professionals, runs from Halloween until the Super Bowl. So, we are looking to get that excess sugar out of the house.”

The hundred pounds of candy collected over the past five years is donated to Operation Gratitute, an organization the re-packages the candy and prepares it for our troops stationed overseas, Rockford said.

“The kids get to do a good deed for our troops,” Rockford said. “We are always looking to do something good for the community. We held a drive of supplies for Hatitian earthquake victims in 2010, also.”

Removing the candy from the household while supporting a good cause is what brought Morris Park parent Myrna Antonetti and her daughter Jessica, 12, to the candy buy-back. Antonetti heard of the Candy Buy Back when an employee of Morris Park Dental handed her a flyer.

“At Halloween, children get an immense amount of candy, and I don’t think that it should all be consumed,” Antonetti said. “I think it is should be shared, and Operation Gratitute is a good cause.”

For more information about Morris Park Dental, call (718) DR-SMILE or (718) 377-6453.