Briarfield Dental Oct 2017

Keep Your Trick-or-Treaters Safe This Halloween

You may wonder if trick-or-treating is safe, especially when stories of poisoned Halloween candy circulate every year. These terrifying tales have all been hoaxes, but beyond needlessly frightening parents, these urban legends take attention away from the real danger kids face while trick-or-treating. Safe Kids Worldwide reports that children are twice as likely to be struck by a car on Halloween than any other day of the year. Here’s what you need to remember before sending your little witches and knights out trick-or-treating. Light Up the Night Brightly colored costumes will make your child more visible in the dark. That said, if your ghouls and goblins have their hearts set on being a real creature of the night, flashlights, glow-in-the-dark bracelets, and reflective tape attached to candy bags can help trick-or-treaters remain visible to drivers. Dress for Comfort The cold might not bother Elsa, but your trick-or-treater may not be ready

to sing after the sun sets and the temperature drops. Have them wear jackets and gloves as needed and insist on shoes they can walk in. If your little princess is absolutely in love with her high heels, have her wear the pretty, uncomfortable shoes for pictures at the door, then switch into comfy sneakers before hitting the sidewalks. Keep Your Eyes on the Prize Masks can really bring a costume together, but they can also make it hard for young eyes to see where they’re going. Before trick-or- treaters head out to collect that sweet candy, swap out masks with face paint. It might take a few practice runs, but face paint can be just as cool. Make sure to test for allergic reactions first. Know the Rules of the Road It is important for trick-or-treaters of all ages to know how to behave safely as they walk down the sidewalks. They should always look both ways Do you remember your favorite birthday? Maybe it was a special party, a favorite gift, or a fond memory you recall each year. Well, we are hoping that our patient Isabel Gillespie had one of her favorites, because it was one of our favorite days in the office. We were lucky enough to surprise Isabel and celebrate her 100th birthday in our office! Isabel’s son, Reid Albright, brought her in to our office for an appointment, where she was greeted at the door by Dr. Stuckey and our team, who surprised her with a birthday cake and balloon for such a special occasion. Tears were brought to not only our eyes, but also the eyes of our wonderful patient, as she made that 100th birthday wish. Isabel never fails to make us smile, as we have been seeing her smile in our office as a patient for over 30 years! When Isabel’s name appears on our schedule, we know it will be an extra special day. Isabel lives her life to the limits and is described by our

before crossing the street, never run out between parked cars, and make sure oncoming traffic is completely stopped before they step out into the road. Kids under the age of 12 should

be accompanied by an adult, and older children

should stick with their friends and never trick or treat alone.

Trick-or-treating is a wonderful childhood tradition, and it shouldn’t end in tragedy. Talk to your kids about the risks and make sure they know why these rules are necessary. When you keep safety in mind, your trick-or- treaters can focus on the best part of Halloween: getting the most candy!

Isabel Gillespie’s 100th Birthday

team as being 100 years young and one of our spunkiest patients! Maybe you’ve seen Isabel around our office, or maybe you’ve seen her at the bowling alley, as she was still throwing strikes in a bowling league at the blissful age of 99! I know what a lot of you are thinking: “Wow! 100 years is a long time!” Well, for comparison, in 1917 the average home in the United States cost about $5,000, yet the average hourly wage was only 22 cents! In these homes during World War I, a popular song on the record player was “Over There” by Nora Bayes. No matter how much our world has changed since Isabel was born, she still lights up every room she walks in to. We are so lucky to have a patient like Isabel, and we wish her many more smiling days ahead. Maybe you will be able to see your dentist on your 100th birthday, as well!

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