Is it bad to eat ice?

Many people who want to cool down or feel refreshed will eat ice or add it to their drink. Sucking on ice cubes can also help people find relief from dry mouth symptoms.

However, continually craving ice and crunching on ice cubes could be bad for a person's teeth and may be a sign of an underlying condition that requires medical attention.

Read on to discover the possible causes of ice cravings and how to treat them.

Underlying conditions that cause ice cravings

The following conditions can make people want to eat or chew on ice:

Pagophagia

Pagophagia is the term for someone who frequently craves ice.

The cravings can be persistent and often last for more than a month.

Pagophagia is a rare form of an eating disorder called pica. Pica often accompanies other mental disorders such as autism and schizophrenia and gives people compulsive cravings for foods that have no real nutritional value.

While children are generally more likely to develop pica cravings, pagophagia can affect both adults and children.

Iron deficiency anemia

Some researchers believe there is a link between iron deficiency anemia and craving ice, but the reason remains unclear.

People with anemia have an insufficient number of healthy red blood cells, which are essential for carrying oxygen around the body. In iron deficiency anemia, a lack of iron is the cause.

Typical symptoms of anemia include:

fatigue or lack of energy

pale skin (pallor)

feeling dizzy or lightheaded

heart palpitations

breathlessness

chest pain

a swollen tongue

cold hands or feet

A study on people with iron deficiency anemia found that 13 of the 81 participants had symptoms of pagophagia. For some of these individuals, taking iron supplements eliminated their ice cravings.

Additional research suggests that iron supplementation may also provide relief from other pica symptoms.

One theory is that chewing ice makes people with anemia feel more alert. Researchers believe that it triggers an effect that sends more blood up to the brain, which in turn supplies the brain with more oxygen. In addition to improved alertness, this can lead to greater clarity of thinking.

Emotional issues

Some emotional issues can also make people want to chew on ice cubes. For example, a person with stress may find chewing on ice soothing.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) could also be a cause. OCD is a mental health condition that leads to compulsive behaviors or obsessive thoughts.

Nutritional problems

People who constantly crave ice may have underlying dietary issues that exacerbate the cravings.

It is common to add flavored syrups to shaved ice, so cravings for this may, in fact, be sugar cravings. People should limit their consumption of this type of ice as the sugar content is high.

Dehydration

Mild dehydration can also make a person crave ice cubes. Ice cubes are cooling and can soothe a dry mouth and lips in addition to quenching thirst. They can also help to lower body temperature on a warm day.

The symptoms of mild dehydration are thirst and darker-colored urine. Anyone who is experiencing more severe dehydration symptoms, such as a seizure or feeling dizzy, confused, or disorientated will require urgent treatment.

Source: Medical News Today