Chewing Ice Puts Teeth at Risk

You’ve probably heard before that it’s bad to chew ice, but do you know why that is? Let’s take a closer look at the damage ice can do to teeth and why many people want to chew ice in the first place.

Pagophagia: Compulsive Ice Eating

Ice eating actually has a scientific name: pagophagia. It isn’t just a bad habit; it can actually indicate an eating disorder called pica, which involves the compulsion to eat things that aren’t food and have zero nutritional value, including hair, dirt, clay, and even ice. A nutritional deficiency can cause pica.

Ice Eating and Iron Deficiency Anemia

Studies in recent years suggest a connection between compulsively eating ice and iron deficiency anemia, a condition 20 percent of women (50 percent of pregnant women) and 3 percent of men experience.

Iron levels might seem like an odd thing to be linked to an ice eating habit, considering that there is no iron in ice, but it actually makes a lot of sense. Red blood cells need iron to carry oxygen throughout the body effectively. Someone who is iron deficient is therefore not getting as much oxygen to their brain. Eating ice stimulates blood flow to the head (and the brain), which gives a temporary boost to alertness and clarity of thought.

The Effects of Ice on Teeth and Gums

As strong as human teeth are and as hard as tooth enamel is, teeth are not meant to crunch and grind ice cubes (in any quantity or texture). The problem isn’t merely that ice is hard but that it’s so cold. When our teeth experience extreme temperature changes, the enamel expands and contracts, causing tiny cracks and weakening the overall structure — just like what happens to pavement in places where it snows.

Obviously weakened enamel can lead to other problems like tooth sensitivity and greater vulnerability to decay, and ice isn’t good for gum tissue either. It’s so cold that it can have a numbing effect while eating it, which might mean you don’t notice an injury to the gum tissue. Ice can even chip or break teeth as well.

Tips for Breaking an Ice Eating Habit

The most important step to take to break an ice eating habit is to discover the cause. For those who experience pagophagia as a symptom of iron deficiency, the ice cravings may go away after taking iron supplements, and the habit may stop on its own. For those who struggle with pica, there are a variety of interventions available, including medication and therapy.

If it’s not specifically the ice you crave but the crunch, try replacing ice with chunks of apple or baby carrots. Conversely, if it’s more about the ice than the crunch, try letting pieces of ice melt on your tongue like a piece of hard candy instead of chewing them.

Video Transcript

why do people – ice mostly because it’s a habit just like twirling your hair or biting your nails although in addition there are medical conditions that may possibly be associated with ice chewing such as PICA which is a term doctors use to describe the craving and chewing of substances that have no nutritional value such as ice and amelia although the reason is unclear compulsive ice eating is often associated with a common form of anaemia called iron deficiency anemia however all medical reasons aside

if you’re not actually craving ice on the daily and you’re just chewing on ice because it’s leftover in your cup after you drink it’s probably just a habit and it’s a habit you should stop doing right now because although these are very very adorably shaped ice cubes you ain’t supposed to be chewing on them they are only supposed to be keeping your drink cold it’s no secret chewing ice is bad for your teeth but how bad is it you may ask extremely bad teeth are simply not built for the wear and tear caused by ice chewing and over the course of time you can destroy the enamel on your teeth and you know you cannot grow enamel back ever all those enamel repair toothpastes they are great but they are not for growing your enamel back those toothpastes only help remineralize areas that are unhealthy they’re not going to magically make an enamel grow on a piece of your tooth once it’s gone it’s gone

and enamel is important not only to make your teeth look shiny and pretty but it’s even more important because it covers and protects the inner layer of your tooth which contains the nerve of your tooth so when enamel is no longer protecting this inner layer decay damage conform the teeth can become extremely sensitive to hot and cold the risk of cavities increases significantly fillings and crowns can chip and break you are more prone to dental emergencies and lastly repetitive chewing you know the repetitive chewing motion is not good for your jaw sore jaw jaw problems chewing lots of ice maybe even chewing lots of gum take a week off from this constant chewing whether it’s ice or gum for the purpose of this video I see and see how happy you’ll make your jaw feel I need to do a video on chewing soon all about your job coming soon

need advice on how to quit chewing ice don’t tempt yourself drink chilled beverages without ice or use a straw so you’re less likely to go down a piece of ice I hope we all break this habit and start enjoying water in its liquid form a healthy way to enjoy h2o if you feel this is not just a habit for you talk to your medical doctor especially if you’ve been craving and compulsively eating ice for more than one month

I hope this video helped you stay tuned for next week’s video five things that you’re doing that’s ruining your teeth by stewing is one of the five I gave it away but until then let me know in the comments below if you chew ice or if you’re planning to stop or you’ve tried to stop give each other tips and tricks because positive solutions and positive advice is what I love and we’re all here to help each other out and on that note peace love and teeth

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Ask Dental Professionals for Help

Anyone who struggles with an ice chewing habit should feel free to discuss it with their dentist, as well as their general physician. It’s important to discover the cause, treat any existing damage to the teeth and gums, and prevent additional damage by working to kick the habit.

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