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WHAT\u2019S SO BAD<\/b> about chewing ice? It can actually do a lot of permanent damage to teeth, and yet many people have a habit of chewing ice that can be difficult to quit. Let\u2019s look closer at ice chewing and its effects on dental health.<\/p>\nCompulsive Ice Eating, or Pagophagia<\/h3>\n
The scientific name for compulsive ice eating is pagophagia<\/strong>. For some people, it goes beyond the level of a bad habit and actually indicates a psychological disorder called pica. Pica is the compulsion to eat non-food items such as dirt, clay, hair, or ice, and it is sometimes caused by a nutritional deficiency.<\/p>\n Recent studies have found a connection between the compulsive eating of ice and iron deficiency anemia<\/strong>, a condition that affects 3% of men and 20% of women (a number that goes up to 50% for pregnant women).<\/p>\n What do iron levels have to do with eating ice? Ice doesn\u2019t contain iron, so how would eating it help with an iron deficiency? It\u2019s actually pretty fascinating. Our red blood cells require iron to be able to effectively carry oxygen throughout our bodies. A person who is iron deficient doesn\u2019t get as much oxygen to their brain.<\/strong> By eating ice, they stimulate the blood flow to the head (and consequently the brain), giving them a temporary boost in alertness and mental clarity.<\/p>\n All of that might seem like a clever workaround for iron deficiency, but it comes with serious drawbacks. Tooth enamel is the strongest substance in the body, but it\u2019s very brittle.<\/strong> Ice isn\u2019t dangerous to chew merely because it is hard, but specifically because it is cold.<\/p>\n Crunching and grinding ice cubes (no matter how much or what their texture is) makes the enamel expand and contract like pavement<\/strong> in places that get a lot of snow. Just like that pavement, the enamel will develop cracks over time.<\/p>\n The weaker the enamel is, the more vulnerable the rest of the tooth is to painful sensitivity and decay. Chewing ice isn\u2019t good for gum tissue either. Because of its temperature, it creates a numbing effect while chewing, which makes it harder to notice an injury if it slips and slices the gums. Ice can even chip or break teeth.<\/strong><\/p>\nHow Iron Deficiency Anemia Leads to Eating Ice<\/h3>\n
How Ice Affects Our Teeth and Gums<\/h3>\n