Ohio dentist plans Halloween-candy buyback for kids

Ohio dentist plans Halloween-candy buyback for kids

Associated Press

MANSFIELD, Ohio

An Ohio dentist is offering children cash and toothbrushes in exchange for their cavity-causing candy this Halloween.

The Mansfield News Journal reports that dentist Craig Callen and his associates in Mansfield are offering kids $1 per pound of candy they bring in, with a 5-pound limit per child. The dentists are also planning a drawing for two children’s bikes.

Callen says brushing teeth and visiting a dentist are good preventive measures, but doing away with excess sweets would give teeth a healthy boost.

He says sugar consumption among kids is rising about 2 percent a year, with children consuming 50 million tons annually.

Callen says candy can lead to hyperactivity and weight gain and can be especially damaging to children’s braces.