Article

‘Drink to your health' takes on new meaning as the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry teams with professional mixologists on Raising the Bar on Healthy Smiles, www.aacd.com/smilebar an online collection of curative cocktail recipes that may benefit smiles and offer a unique twist to entertaining. Cocktails infused with medicinal ingredients can improve immunity and offer a tasty tonic for your teeth, according to recent studies.* The recipes feature cocktails and non-alcoholic drink recipes using fruits, vegetables, grains, and other 'super-food' ingredients.

Original recipes include The Cha Jing, featuring natural ingredients such as green tea, honey and celery (N/A version available) as well as Heed the Horn, a unique cocktail which includes carrot syrup, Gamle Ode Dill Aquavit, a Scandinavian spirit infused with fresh dill and a touch of caraway seeds and juniper berry as well as Green Chartreuse, an herbal liqueur made by the Carthusian monks. The recipes were developed by mixologists Ira Koplowitz and Nicholas Kosevich, owners of Bittercube, a maker of handcrafted artisanal bitters using only 'raw' ingredients. Introduced in the early 1800s, bitters are an amalgamation of roots, barks, flowers, and herbs extracted through high proof spirits and softened with sugar, citrus, and water. "There are numerous accounts throughout history of monks, physicians and alchemists who were interested in distilled alcohol as a cure for ailments, so it makes sense that these great-tasting recipes could also have healthy benefits," said Koplowitz. AACD member Dr. Ken Banks, a West Virginia cosmetic dentist who operates his own healthy beverage company, also contributed two original recipes to the collection.The benefit of drinking tea is well documented. Its high flavonoid content also helps fight diseases like cancer and reduces risk for heart disease. "Selecting healthy, natural superfoods with specific functions improves the ability of our body to create that beautiful smile we all desire," said Dr. Banks.

A 2010 University of Texas study showed that consuming one to two alcoholic drinks a day could increase longevity and infusing them with curative ingredients could improve immunity and may alleviate many ailments, like stress and high blood pressure. See all the healthy smile drink recipes at www.aacd.com/smilebar.

Here's a recipe from the collection:

The Cha Jing (The "Tea Classic")

2 ounces high quality London Dry gin

.5 ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice

.75 ounce green tea honey syrup (recipe follows)

1 dropper Bittercube Jamaican #1 Bitters

2 celery sticks, cut into 1-inch sections

1.5 ounces sparkling water

Garnish: Celery stick with leaves attached and a lemon peel twist

Muddle celery in mixing glass. Add remaining ingredients except for sparkling water. Add ice, shake lightly, double strain into a tall glass filled with ice. Top with 1.5 oz. sparkling water.

Green Tea Honey Syrup

1 cup honey

½ cup sugar

½ cup hot water

2 bags green tea

Steep 2 bags of green tea in ¾ cup boiling hot water for five minutes. Use ½ cup of the brewed tea and whisk in the granulated sugar followed by the honey until dissolved.

About the AACD

The AACD is the world's largest non-profit member organization dedicated to advancing excellence in comprehensive oral care that combines art and science to optimally improve dental health, esthetics, and function. Comprised of more than 6,500 cosmetic dental professionals in 70 countries worldwide, the AACD fulfills its mission by offering superior educational opportunities, promoting and supporting a respected Accreditation credential, serving as a user-friendly and inviting forum for the creative exchange of knowledge and ideas, and providing accurate and useful information to the public and the profession. *http://www.everydayhealth.com/health-report/specialreport/powerful-tips-daily-oral-care/tooth-friendly-diet.aspx