Grilling Out and Your Teeth
Almost everything in life has to have a specific balance to exist, to look right, to function well, to do its intended job, or even to “feel” right. Pretty much anything you can think of exists on a spectrum, and almost always nature favors those in the middle of that spectrum.
Grilling and your dental health happens to exist on a similar spectrum of its own.
Too much heat
Too much heat on your meat can actually be bad for you and your dental health. First off, red meats in general are linked to a lot of things negative for your body, but meat in general also has the capability of damaging your gums and being too tough for certain teeth. In addition, some meats aren’t the best for your kids and their weaker teeth and may even cause choking.
That’s why you can’t overcook your meats but you can’t undercook them. And unfortunately, too many Americans that love to grill out don’t understand this balance. So many seem to grill meats for too long in fear of the meat being contaminated, but what this does is produce a tough, charred meat that could be much better for you and better tasting.
Not enough veggies
People love grilling meat. There’s something satisfying about throwing a slab of meat on your grill and hearing it sizzle after you’ve seasoned it perfectly and planned out how long you’ll be grilling it for.
But what gives when it comes to our veggie sides? So many of my friends and family only prefer to grill meat and then they end up eating something processed from a can that is cooked inside. That sounds inefficient and unhealthy to me.
Instead, why don’t more people go out and grab some fresh veggies to grill right smack dab alongside their meats? Veggies are not only healthy for you, but they also help to clean your teeth while you’re eating them, especially anything leafy or particularly green. This sounds like a win win to me.
And the other thing to consider about grilling veggies (or mushrooms or anything else you may want to toss on in some tinfoil) with your meats is that grilling multiple things at once is more challenging and more fun. When I toss a few brats on the grill and call that a day, it’s too easy and it goes too quick. But if I put on some asparagus and mushrooms alongside my pork chops, things are a lot more satisfying to grill.