3 Reasons Not To Chew On Ice

3 Reasons Not To Chew On Ice

Chewing on ice is highly-destructive to your teeth.

Many people find chewing on ice to be a strangely addicting habit, but here are some reasons to try to quit:

Wearing Down Enamel

Chewing ice can wear down your enamel, the hard, protective layer at the surface of your teeth. This can lead to sensitivity and shortened teeth. In extreme cases of wear, extensive dental work may be necessary to restore the teeth to their ideal size and shape.

Chipped Teeth and Broken Fillings

Chewing ice can lead to unsightly chipping and breaking of the thin edges of your teeth, and can even damage existing dental fillings.

Sensitivity

Our teeth have delicate nerves on the inside, and bombarding them with extreme temperatures can often lead to serious pain! In patients with teeth that are naturally sensitive, chewing on ice can aggravate the situation, causing lingering irritation and sensitivity of the nerve.

What Else To Know:

The strong desire to chew on ice has been linked to iron deficiency anemia, so if you feel an insatiable urge to chew on ice, check with your physician to make sure there are no underlying health issues going on.