EDMONTON – Halloween treats may be able to earn kids a little bit of a profit. That is, if they’re willing to part with their goodies.
Dr. Sean Bhasin and his team at Spearmint Dental are offering a trade: a dollar for each pound of candy that kids turn in.
“It didn’t hit me until I had my own kids,” said Bhasin.
“I have two boys and I noticed that my kids would go trick-or-treating and they would come back and every day they were just picking at it little by little… and six months later, there would be a cavity.”
Although Bhasin’s concern stemmed from his own family, his profession also allows him to see first-hand how sugar affects teeth.
But he says teeth are not the only things parents should be concerned about.
“The fructose that causes harm in our mouth also goes down in our body, into our liver and it turns into fat that is not easily metabolized.
“What we are finding out is that the worst part of all … it is addicting.”
He says has seen the effects on his own children, and how drawn they are to sugar, calling it an easy and cheap way for the food industry to lure kids.
READ MORE: How do Halloween treats stack up to whole foods?
Although sugar can be found in non-sweet foods, like a loaf of bread, Bhasin says the real danger is in foods with a high fructose level. He recommends eliminating the obvious sugars, like candy and pop.
For parents who want to give their kids a Halloween treat or indulge themselves, Bhasin suggests staying away from sour candies because the combination of acidity and sugar eats away at teeth.
He also says people should try to brush immediately after eating anything sticky.
The candy buy-back is being held at Spearmint Dental, located at 11440-17 Ave. SW, on Saturday, Nov. 1 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
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