With Halloween quickly on the horizon, one local dentist is doing what she can to promote a healthy lifestyle for both your teeth and your whole body.
Dr. Alexandra Khaimov is starting a candy buyback program from that will begin just after Halloween is over. Starting from November 1st and going through November 9th, people will be able to bring candy to both her Maspeth and Elmhurst offices and get money in return.
For every pound of candy you bring to either office, you get $1.
Dr. Khaimov said that the reason she wanted to start the program is to tell people, especially young children, to take care of their teeth and getting candy that cause tooth decay and damage gums should help with that. She also hopes to remind people to take care of rest of their body as well.
“I’m not just a mouth doctor, I want to promote whole health” said Dr. Khaimov, who has only had her Maspeth office open since August of this year. “It starts with the mouth, whatever you put in goes straight to your body.”
A side effect from this program is that it will help promote herself in Maspeth since she is new to the neighborhood. But that’s only a secondary reason for the program, she said, and her main goal is to help people.
“I want people to know me, to know what my goal is and I want to help as many people as possible,”Dr. Khaimov said.
This is the first time that she has done a program like this and it might graduate into a yearly event, Khaimov said, depending on how successful this year’s program is.
According to the American Dental Association (ADA), high sugar intake can lead to tooth decay, especially among children. When bacteria mixes with sugar and starch in the mouth, that produces acid, which attacks teeth for at least 20 minutes, according to the ADA. The U.S Department of Health and Human Services recommends that sugar consumption be limited as too much could intake of healthier foods, such as fruits and vegetables.
As for the candy itself, she said that after it’s over, she’ll donate whatever she collects to local food pantries and churches.
“I’m certainly not going to sit here and eat all the candy by myself,” the doctor joked.
By Luis Gronda