WHAT ARE THE DAMAGES OF ICE EATING? (2024)

FAQs

WHAT ARE THE DAMAGES OF ICE EATING? ›

The cold temperature and brittle nature of ice can damage teeth, leading to small fractures, chips, or worse. While routinely chewing on ice cubes can actually be a chronic issue – also called pagophagia – it only takes one or two bad chomps on whole ice cubes or hard foods to do tooth damage.

Your tooth enamel is not strong enough to withstand ice's brittle texture and extremely cold temperature. Even if your teeth themselves are healthy and strong, your ice-chewing habit—whether you crunch on cubes or crushed ice—can cause tiny cracks in the enamel that covers the teeth.

It can also damage your enamel, causing increased sensitivity to hot and cold and leaving you more prone to tooth decay and cavities. Chewing ice can create even further problems by damaging existing dental work like fillings, crowns, and veneers, to top it off. So, yeah, eating ice probably isn't the best habit.

Symptoms of pagophagia

Craving or chewing ice or drinking iced beverages is the most common symptom of pagophagia. In the short term, wanting to chew or eat lots of ice may not mean you have an issue. If your cravings last longer than a month , though, you may be diagnosed with pica.

Pagophagia (compulsive ice chewing) is a particular form of pica that is characterized by ingestion of ice, freezer frost, or iced drinks. It is usually associated with iron deficiency anemia or mental abnormalities like intellectual disabilities, autism, etc.

Sucking on or chewing ice in moderation is unlikely to cause harm. However, anyone who feels a compulsion to eat ice may require medical attention. If ice cravings last for longer than 1 month, a doctor should investigate the underlying cause.

The term "pica" describes craving and chewing substances that have no nutritional value — such as ice, clay, soil or paper. Craving and chewing ice, known as pagophagia, is often associated with iron deficiency, with or without anemia, although the reason is unclear.

Find something that has that same crunchy texture without posing a risk to your teeth. Cucumber slices, carrot sticks, apples, and various other fruits and vegetables can all serve this purpose. You can even chill them to get that same refreshing burst of coolness.

If the craving is less about the ice than the crunch, we recommend replacing ice with baby carrots or apple slices. If it really is about the ice but not connected to pica or iron deficiency, try letting the ice melt on your tongue instead of crunching down on it.

However, excessive consumption of ice is frequently associated with iron deficiency. One hypothesis suggests that non-food items are consumed to correct deficiencies in iron, calcium, zinc or other micronutrients. However, this theory does not explain pagophagia, since ice contains almost no iron.

Why do anemic people crave ice? ›

Pagophagia (compulsive ice chewing) has long been associated with iron deficiency anemia, but prior attempts to account for this craving have been unsatisfactory. We hypothesize that chewing ice triggers vascular changes that lead to preferential or increased perfusion of the brain.

Ice can keep your mouth cool and moist which helps combat dehydration. On the other hand, old wives' tales say that chewing on ice will break your teeth and lead to a sore throat. Research shows that chewing ice may be ok – unless you crave ice all the time.

Eating ice puts you at risk for dental damage, but it won't hurt your internal organs. However, pica sufferers may feel compelled to eat other things that could be potentially life-threatening. Swallowing things that aren't meant for human consumption can lead to: Poisoning.

Examples include chewing on ice, hair, dirt, paper, books, or even feces. This behavior is quite common in kids with autism. However, it is important to try and stop this behavior as it can make our kids very sick. Obviously, it is not healthy to eat non-food items.

Can I become dependent on ice? People quickly need larger doses of ice to produce the same effect, making ice highly addictive. Some users may feel like they need the drug just to get through the day.

It turns out that when you eat ice and melt it, that takes energy. Ultimately what this leads to is that ice is a negative calorie food." The idea of using ice as a dietary aid came when the Weiner wanted to lose some weight.