Chewing ice cubes -- good or bad?

[Tasaio]

Greetings

My apologies for making two posts at once, but this follows from the previous topic:

I find chewing ice cubes is an *excellent* substitute for chewing something worse -- say, a chocolate bar or chips. It's just water.

But dentists tell you not to, because it supposedly chips the enamel off your teeth. Also, I'll occasionally swallow an ice cube whole, without chewing at all.

Aside from chipping the enamel off your teeth, what are some of the side effects of chewing ice?

Thanks in advance

[pantera]

Two of my best friends are dentists, and they both demand that their patients not chew on ice cubes. Since they know more about teeth than I do, I gave it up, no questions asked.

Chew on a carrot stick, or a piece of celery, etc. I have a habit of juggling around grapes, radishes, peanuts, etc. in my mouth like they were gum.

[빈센트]

brainfreeze :P

[dalante]

i heard it means you're compensating for a lack of sexual activity....

[Baltar]

Originally Posted by Tasaio

I find chewing ice cubes is an *excellent* substitute for chewing something worse -- say, a chocolate bar or chips. It's just water.

Ever try sugarless gum? It's an *excellent* substitute for ice cubes.

Originally Posted by Tasaio

But dentists tell you not to, because it supposedly chips the enamel off your teeth. Also, I'll occasionally swallow an ice cube whole, without chewing at all.

Aside from chipping the enamel off your teeth, what are some of the side effects of chewing ice?

Well if you like chewing on rocks, then I suppose ice cubes are ok. Don't confuse ice with water. Ice is crystallized water and is very tough. Other than the enamel damage you mentioned, putting ice in your mouth may cause microfractures in your teeth due to the quick changes in temperature between hot and freezing (temperature under your tongue is 36.6 degrees Celsius, and ice is 0 degrees Celsius or less). This will weaken the structural integrity of your teeth. Of course I'm not a dentist, so if you want a professional opinion on this you should ask one directly.

[gberardi]

I heard that if you have fillings, the sudden change in temperature might cause them to easily fall out. At least, that's what I heard.

[John Wesley]

You people are scaring me. I'll never chew ice again.

[Nico Kempe]

Originally Posted by John Wesley

You people are scaring me. I'll never chew ice again.

me neither [insert worried smiley]

[Angela]

me neither, not even to compensate for lack of sexual activity

[skinnyninja]

Here is another positive slant on ingesting ice:

Cold Water Diet /70104/

[Erock]

Try just sucking on them. I'm a frequent ice chewer, and sucking on ice instead is a much more teeth positive thing to do.

Erock

[da1prophet]

Originally Posted by Tasaio

Greetings

My apologies for making two posts at once, but this follows from the previous topic:

I find chewing ice cubes is an *excellent* substitute for chewing something worse -- say, a chocolate bar or chips. It's just water.

But dentists tell you not to, because it supposedly chips the enamel off your teeth. Also, I'll occasionally swallow an ice cube whole, without chewing at all.

Aside from chipping the enamel off your teeth, what are some of the side effects of chewing ice?

Thanks in advance

You said it yourself--its just water. You're aware of the potential damage to your teeth but I'd wager that its possibly not as bad for your toofys than chips and certainly better than chocolate.

I've personally never liked chewing on ice, but I really don't see much downside if its a substitute for worse things. The "brainfreeze" risk notwithstanding I'd say chew away...

[samjbrowne]

My dentist advised me not to ever chew on ice cubes, as doing it puts tiny cracks in your teeth apparently. From my POV, there's nothing particularly great about chewing ice anyway....

[Jessica Adlin]

Speaking from experience, chewing ice can really cause tiny cracks in your teeth. Those tiny cracks can, over time, especially with continued ice chewing turn into BIG, painful, chip-off-a-chunk of tooth, very-expensive-to-fix cracks.

My dentist always warned me...

Finding a good substitute to ice chewing seems important. It is hard to give up a habit if you don't replace it with something else. Carrots, celery, gum...

Good luck!

[taylor2]

well-i have always heard the desire to chew ice cubes and eat ice is cause of anemia.and i always chewed ice and was and also my dentist told me"whatever u are doing to your teeth..stop! it's killing your teeth".i was always an ice chewer.good luck...taylor2

[ElizaJ]

Well, I worked with a woman once who chewed ice all day long. It caused wrinkle lines much like the ones that smokers get, and she wasn't a smoker. So, if you're a female and worried about wrinkle lines around the lips, don't chew ice all day long!

[Zach]

Originally Posted by Erock

Try just sucking on them. I'm a frequent ice chewer, and sucking on ice instead is a much more teeth positive thing to do.

Agreed. I prefer to suck on ice instead of chewing it.

[tylersch]

I never knew it was bad for you, my dad and I have always chewed on ice. I don't know why I do it, but I usually try to suck on it instead of chewing it. haha, Maybe i'll try a 30-day test.

[gberardi]

I just wonder if 30 days will be enough to determine anything. How long does it take for teeth to chip from chewing ice?

And why would sucking on ice be any better? Wouldn't the temperature difference still exist as the ice slowly turns to water next to your teeth?

[febflake]

How the.. it's beyond me why anyone would WANT to chew an ice cube?!
Beyond the fact it should be basic knowledge learned at primary school and it just hurts, it just doesn't make any sense.. what could the benefits be?

Why not sip on boiled water (the 100°c kind) while we are at it?
Or make cookies with sand?

@gberardi:
because ice is being warmed through your lips and basically you are sucking water out of the cube instead of putting it directly in contact with your teeth ?

edit:
Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog: "I eat a lot of ice"

I googled about this a little bit and I suggest to pay more attention to this behaviour, it doesn't seem to just be an habit.