People chew on ice for fun, as a cooling refreshing summer treat, or to relieve stress. Although it may seem like a harmless habit, it can be damaging for several reasons.
Reasons Why Chewing Ice is Bad for Your Teeth
• Wears Down Enamel which is the outer layer of the tooth. Chewing on ice wears down the enamel making teeth more prone to decay, sensitivity, and susceptible to tooth fracture.
• Damages Fillings by causing the fillings to expand and potentially chip and break due to the ice being so hard.
• Damages Gums sometimes due to ice being sharp and can easily puncture your gum tissue.
• Increasing Sensitivity by exposing your teeth to prolonged coldness from ice may damage the nerves inside your teeth.
• Cracks Teeth by ice being very hard and sharp. When you bite down on ice, you put a lot of pressure on your teeth, sometimes causing a small fracture that can go undetected and can lead to a much larger fracture from repeatedly chewing on ice.
If you chew on ice please consider the damage that you are exposing your teeth to and as an alternative, dentist recommend letting ice slivers melt in your mouth as you do with hard candy. Ice slivers will keep you from having to make an emergency visit to the dentist due to breaking a filling and or a tooth.
I hope this Tooth Talk has helped and call Integrity Dental Care, PLLC (615) 445-8700 or email dr.jmitchell@integritydentalcares.com with any questions you may have.
