Jaffe Orthodontics Halloween Candy Buy Back

The time is coming once again for our annual Halloween Candy Buy Back.  This is our 3rd year, and in the previous two years, we collected over 300 pounds of candy!  After collecting the candy, we sent it to an organization called Operation Gratitude which then made care packages and sent them to troops serving around the world.

The obvious benefit of “buying” our patient’s candy is that we reward our patients who have braces on their teeth for not eating the candy they are not supposed to.  Instead of allowing the candy to go to waste, however, we are sending it to people who no doubt appreciate it. Even for kids who don’t have braces, we are attempting to send a message about healthy choices.

The obvious question is “isn’t the candy bad for the troops as well?” The answer is yes, but with several qualifiers.  First, the candy is a “sweet” reminder of home, and the tradition of Halloween.  Second, it is a nice statement that kids in this country are willing to give up their candy to show appreciation for what our troops are doing. Third, the troops are adults who know how to care for their teeth- not children who are just learning to brush and floss properly.  Finally, Operation Gratitude is also collecting toothbrushes, 100,000 of them, in fact, to send along with the candy.

We here at Jaffe Orthodontics actually love Halloween.  It is fun to get dressed up and the tradition has become as American as apple pie. Believe it or not, we also love candy just like everybody else. Even Dr. Jaffe has been known to sneak a candy from time to time.  The point is everything in moderation, and to establish good oral hygiene practices including brushing after eating sweets.

Whether or not you are a patient of ours, we welcome you to participate in this year’s candy buy back. We will be buying candy from 3pm to 6pm on November 1st in our Barrington Office at 147 County Road.  We will also be buying candy in our Portsmouth office at 31 King Charles Drive on November 4th from 8am-5pm. We will be paying $1/pound up to 5 pounds for unopened candy in its original wrapper.

Happy Halloween!