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Page 12 Just 4 Kids Sponsored by City of Chandler Recreation Division
October 2013
1
Keeping Halloween happy and healthy for everyone By Alison Stanton
This Halloween, Meghann and Marcus Sepulveda will help their three children—Sofia, 6, Julia, 3, and Milo, 2—into their costumes and take them around their Clemente Ranch neighborhood for some trick-or-treating. Sofia is not too sure about spooky decorations, Meghann says, so her family makes sure to avoid those homes. “There are a few houses in our neighborhood that go all out with smoke machines, scary music, and even people dressed up like zombies who try to scare the older kids,” Meghann says. “I try to remind her that everything is fake and there is nothing to be worried about.” When the kids are done trick-or-treating, Meghann and her husband let their kids eat two or three pieces of candy, and everybody picks out a few more for the following day. The rest, Meghann says, heads off to work with Marcus for his co-workers to enjoy. According to tips and advice from three local professionals, the Sepulveda’s approach to Halloween is spot on.
child understands the idea of trick-or“Things like Laffy Taffy or gummy treating and can participate on his or worms stick between the teeth and into her own. the grooves on top of the teeth. This “Until then, pick and carve pumpkins, allows the bacteria that cause cavities to decorate, and help hand out treats to eat this sugar for long periods of time, older kids.” creating large quantities of acid, and As for parents who are tempted to go therefore cavities. all out with Halloween, doing tons of Rather than let kids eat one or two decorating and buying expensive cospieces of Halloween candy a day until it is tumes for everybody, Lucas cautions gone, Philipp says it’s actually better to eat a larger quantity in one sitting and then be them to not overdo it. “Keep it simple. Don’t set a precedent done with it. Staying safe while you will feel obligated to improve upon “When you consume sugary trick-or-treating every year,” she says. snacks and drinks you expose Sgt. Joe Favazzo from the Alison Stanton is a freelance writer who the bacteria that cause cavities Chandler Police Department lives in the East Valley. She can be reached to their preferred food source. recently released a list of at Alison@SanTanSun.com. This is when these bacteria Halloween safety tips that produce the acid that damages advise parents to never allow your teeth and cause cavities their children to trick-or-treat Resources to form. When this process alone. Websites: happens repeatedly all day “Accompany your child on • cdc.gov/family/halloween/ long it can cause cavities to their trick-or-treating adven• aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aapform very rapidly.” ture,” he says. “Remember, press-room/news-features-and-safetyAs for which type of candy safety in numbers.” tips/pages/Halloween-Safety-Tips.aspx? Sgt. Joe Favazzo is the most preferable—at least In addition, Favazzo says, Submitted photo • safekids.org/tip/halloween-safety-tips in terms of the teeth—Philipp trick-or-treaters should bring a • partycity.com/content/keys+to+a+kid+ flashlight or some other device that lights says chocolate comes in at No. 1. friendly+halloween+party.do “It might seem strange to hear the up, as well as a cell phone. dentist tell you to eat chocolate but that If the lights are not on at a house, really is the recommendation when Favazzo advises families to skip it, and discussing sweet snacks,” he says. everyone should be extra careful when It might be an overstatement to say they are crossing the street. J. Philipp Family and Cosmetic “Remember, pedestrians are much less chocolate is good for the teeth, but Dentistry in Chandler is giving away “it certainly isn’t bad for them.” visible to drivers in nighttime hours, $1 for every pound of Halloween candy, with a limit of 5 pounds per person, “The bacteria that cause cavities like even if they are wearing light-colored brought in by local children and an acidic environment; howclothing,” he says. families from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. ever, chocolate is a basic For parents who like to take their Fri., Nov. 1. All the candy food. This makes it much younger children out before it gets too donated will be sent to troops harder for the bacteria to do dark, Favazzo says they should avoid overseas. Everyone who particdamage to your teeth.” being out at dusk, as this is actually the ipates will also be entered into most difficult time of night for drivers to a raffle to win a new Apple see pedestrians. Respecting the iPod. The practice will also be To make sure the plethora of funsensitive child collecting cards and letters to sized Kit Kats, M&Ms and Skittles are all Ruth Lucas, MPsych, a send to the troops. Chocolate OK for little ones—and their parents—to professional consultant and and nonchocolate items must eat, Favazzo says mom or dad should life coach, licensed facilitator be separated and brought in check their children’s candy before they of "Becoming a Love and clear, zipped bags. can eat it, and throw away anything that Logic Parent" and owner of Dr. Justin Philipp The candy will be donated to Submitted photo is homemade, improperly sealed or susLucas Seminars in Chandler, Operation Gratitude for its picious looking. says to help make Halloween holiday care packages. Operation as scare-free as possible, parents can Gratitude plans to send 60,000 care Tips for the post-Halloween focus on the idea of make believe, imagi- packages and it needs tons of candy, nation and impersonations that are smile literally, to fill them. Last year, funny and clever. Dr. Justin Philipp, a dentist from J. Operation Gratitude received and “Make decorations that are more Philipp Centers for Family and Cosmetic shipped 125 tons. innocuous like a funny scarecrow, a silly Dentistry in Chandler, says when it J. Philipp Family and Cosmetic pumpkin, or a cute black kitten with an comes to Halloween candy and oral Dentistry is located at 3230 S. Gilbert orange bow,” she says. health, not everything is created equally. Rd., Suite 4, Chandler. For more inforFor parents of infants and toddlers, “The stickier and gooier the candy the mation, call 480-306-5506, email conLucas says it’s better to wait until the worse it is for your teeth,” he says. tact@jphilipp.com or visit jphilipp.com.
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