Has your dentist ever asked if you have any bad habits? The most commonly recognized bad habits are fingernail biting, thumb-sucking, tongue thrusting, grinding teeth, clenching, amongst others. But have you ever thought about how chewing ice is also a bad habit? It’s surprising just how many people think chewing ice is good for your teeth.
As dentists, we often hear our patients say that chewing ice “keeps your teeth strong.” Don’t fall into this trap! Chewing on any hard substance including ice can fracture teeth, and continually damage enamel or tooth structure. “Craze lines” are tiny fracture lines that your dentist can often see on your teeth if you are a continual ice chewer.
Break the bad habit, melt that ice down to water, and drink lots of water instead! Now, that’s something to chew on!