According to one Tik Tok user, who also happens to be a dental hygienist in New York, chewing on ice may be dangerous if you do it too often. The Tik Tok user, who posts as @avalene.r, made a video describing the phenomenon and its dangers, which include increased risk of cracking and chipping your teeth.
And the site Medical News Today agrees with her, writing, “Consuming a lot of ice can damage tooth enamel and cause cracks or chips in the teeth. This can lead to further problems, such as increased sensitivity to temperature and oral pain.
“In one case report, doctors related that a person who had chewed 30 ice cubes or more each day for over 20 years — using the teeth on the left side — experienced changes in the jaw and cavities on that side only.”
Another reason that people like to chew on frozen water is due to pica, an eating disorder that causes people to eat things that aren’t typically considered food, such as grass or clay. In cases of pica, doctors will typically tend to find the root problem of the disorder, which may be anemia, low iron levels or unfulfilled food cravings.
It’s unlikely that the occasional bite of ice will do much to harm your health or your teeth, but it’s better to be safe than sorry, especially if you don’t enjoy frequent trips to the dentist.