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Just because Halloween is over, doesn’t mean the sweetness has to end! The past couple of weeks, we hosted our 12th Annual Candy Drive at Wellesley Dental Group-- the largest one in size and scope to date! This year we had a record number of 17,000 students across 52 schools and 15 towns in the MetroWest and Greater Boston area participate. Together, our community collected 13,237 pounds of Halloween candy-- beating the 2018 all-time high of 12,000 pounds! That's about 6,500 pounds of sugar. This candy is assembled into care packages for the US troops overseas with the help CarePacks, a local non-profit organization. The candy, along with sweet handwritten cards and oral hygiene supplies, will be sure to put a smile on the faces of the troops -- just in time for the approaching holiday season. We could not have done this without YOU!

In celebration of the annual initiative, we had our community and press event on November 8th. The chilly November weather didn’t stop members of the community from coming together to celebrate the monumental candy collection. The crowd enjoyed performances from Evan Lariviere and the Wellesley High School Keynotes, led by Dr. Kevin McDonald. Rick Bruce from CarePacks and Assistant Fire Chief Jeff Peterson from the Wellesley Fire Department also shared a few words thanking participants for their generosity towards our servicepeople. Also in attendance were representatives from the 51st Command Troop, West Suburban Veterans’ District, U.S. Coastguard and Wellesley Police Department, not to mention all the local students of all ages!

During the event, the grand prize of $1000 was awarded to Hardy Elementary School in Wellesley for raising the greatest amount of candy by weight per student. In second place was Fiske Elementary in Wellesley and in third place was Willard Elementary in Concord.

Every year, this candy drive draws the community together, and we unite over the generosity of our children, as they give up their prized Halloween candy to help our servicepeople enjoy a sweet taste from home.

We are grateful for all of the participants and organizations who made this event possible, Take a look at this years participating schools and organizations:

Babson College

Bates School

Beaver Country Day School

Bowen Elementary

Broadmeadow School

Cabot Elementary

Charles River School

Chickering School

Claypit Hill Elementary

Council on Aging

Dana Hall Middle School

Dedham Country Day

Deerfield Elementary School

Dover-Sherborn Middle School

Downey School

Elizabeth Seton Residence

Fiske School

Greenlodge Elementary Student

Hanlon School

Happy Hollow School

Hardy Elementary

Haynes Elementary

Heath School

High Rock School

Hills and Falls Nursery School

Hunnewell Elementary

John Eliot School

Kennedy Middle School

Liberty School

Loker Elementary

Magic Beans

Marillac Residence

Martha Jones School

Mason-Rice Elementary School

Memorial School

Noble and Greenough School

Parker Elementary

Potter Road School

Preschool at Wellesley Schools

Schofield Elementary School

Sheehan School

Sprague Elementary School

Tenacre Country Day School

Thayer Academy Middle School

The Tobin Family of Schools

Thurston Middle School

Upham Elementary

Waterstone at Wellesley

Wellesley College Pre-Dental Society

Wellesley High School

Wellesley Hills Junior Women's Club

Wellesley Middle School

Wellesley Mothers Forum

Westwood High School

Westwood Integrated Preschool

Willard Elementary School

Williams Elementary

Wilmington Youth Soccer

Wilson Middle School

Wrentham Elementary

For any questions or more information about the Wellesley Dental Group, please contact (781) 237-9071 or email candydrive@wellesleydentalgroup.com. Stay up to date with the Wellesley Dental Group by following @WellesleyDental on Twitter,  LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.

We all have certain food and drink cravings. For many, sodas may be one of them. We all know soda isn't the healthiest drink choice, however, you may not have known that sodas have been associated with both tooth decay and obesity, according to new research. According to the study published in ‘Clinical Oral Investigations,’ researchers found a direct link between the amount of sugary soft drinks and the breakdown of tooth enamel. In adult study participants who had tooth wear, researchers found that the number of surfaces affected was 1.4 times higher for each additional sugary/acidic beverage per day. They also found that the number of surfaces with moderate-to-severe tooth wear was 17% lower for each additional non-sugar/non-acidic beverage the adult drank each day.

Carbonated and acidic drinks can lead to enamel erosion, or tooth wear, which can have a negative impact on your oral health. Once the tooth enamel becomes worn down, the shape and appearance of the teeth can begin to change. The layer beneath tooth enamel, known as dentin, also begins to show and you may begin experiencing tooth sensitivity to  cold or hot foods and beverages. This can lead to many extra costly dental procedures down the road. Plus, acidic beverages are also known to increase the risk of gastric reflux disease in people who are overweight. So, not only are these drinks causing harm to your teeth, they are also damaging your body. The good news is, tooth wear can be preventable!

Diet is important for your overall health and pearly whites. Be sure to choose healthier drink alternatives. If you are to indulge in soda, do so in moderation and be sure to drink plenty of water afterwards to dilute the acid and sugar. Using a straw when consuming acidic beverages is also helpful to keep the sugar away from sitting on your teeth. Not to mention, ever heard of the slogan, "sip all day, get decay?" The statement is true! Sipping on soda throughout the day for long p periods of time can quickly breakdown your teeth, as the acid attacks your enamel with each sip of soda you take. Be sure to engage in physical activity each day and keep up with good oral hygiene practices.

Thank you to all our participants and supporters of the 12th Annual Candy Drive for the Troops. To stay updated on future candy drives, please like Candy Drive and Wellesley Dental Group on Facebook!

Today marks Veterans Day and we are extremely grateful for all veterans who have served our country.

November 11, 1918 is the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice, which was the agreement to end World War I. There is a lot going on today which you and your family can join in celebration for! Checkout the cool events happening today.

Not to mention, we are so thankful for all of your donations and participation at our 12th Annual Candy Drive for the Troops, which was even bigger and better than ever before! The thousands of pounds of candy, tons of thoughtful messages, and oral hygiene kits were donated to our U.S. troops overseas.

There's not just one, but two parades happening in Boston! These parades will include walking around historical places including City Hall Plaza, Boston Common, and Faneuil Hall where there will be a lot of live music, poetry, and speeches in honor of Veteran's Day.

[caption id="attachment_12793" align="alignnone" width="825"] A U.S. Army Reserve soldier reads some of the 58,307 names etched into "The Wall" of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. as the sun rises July 22, 2015. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Ken Scar)[/caption]

Veterans Day Shopping Sales

Both Wrentham Village and Assembly Row offer military discounts for both active and retired veterans at several stores, with sales that typically include from 30% to 70% off the already discounted prices.

Volunteer Opportunity with New England Center for Homeless Veterans

Looking for a chance to honor and give back to Veterans? The New England Center for Homeless Veterans are in need of volunteers each day to serve lunch and dinner, along with helping with activities. Volunteer slots include volunteering for either an hour, or full-day, for one time visit or as a regular volunteer.

Volunteers can register at 617-371-1800, or register online.

Veterans Specials at Boston Restaurants

Looking for a good meal on Veteran's Day? If you're a veteran or on active duty there are several restaurants around Boston that are offering discounted or even free meals!

McCormick & Schmick's:

Veterans are offered a complimentary lunch or dinner entree from a special menu with a reservations: http://www.mccormickandschmicks.com/featured-promotion/Veterans-Day.aspx

Blue Ribbon BBQ:

Arlington, Dedham, and West Newton locations are offering a free sandwich with 2 sides to all veterans and first responders on Veteran's Day: http://www.blueribbonbbq.com/about.aspx

Bruegger's Bagels:

Free small drip coffee for veterans and active duty military with ID/proof of service.

Dunkin' Donuts:

Free doughnut for all veterans and active duty military on Veterans Day.

Bar Louie:

Free flatbread or burger for Veterans on Veterans Day.

https://www.boston-discovery-guide.com/veterans-day.html

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