Your Teeth and Gums Can Face Significant Damage from Chewing on Ice
Posted on 3/8/2021 by Dr. Saklofsky
If you have a habit of chewing on ice, you need to know precisely what you are doing to your mouth. Chewing on ice can damage both your teeth and your gums, and it can even lead to losing a tooth if you are not careful. Ice is a very hard substance and is very cold, both of which can cause issues.
You Can Crack Your Teeth
If you bite down on a hard piece of ice, it can cause your tooth to crack. Your tooth does not even need to be weakened or damaged for this to happen. Biting down on ice puts a large amount of pressure on that tooth. One issue here is that you may not even realize that the tooth has cracked because these fractures can be very small. Over time, however, they will become worse, and eventually, the tooth may split.
You Can Cut Your Gums
Ice often has sharp edges, especially if you are breaking the cubes up as you bite on them. These edges can cut your gums, causing you to bleed and giving bacteria an opening to get into the gums. If you already have weakened gums from gingivitis, you can cause a great amount of damage by chewing on ice.
You Can Lose A Filling
When a filling encounters the cold ice, it can actually expand. This will reduce the overall lifespan of the filling. If you suck or chew on ice often, the filling will expand and contract regularly. It may then fall out, requiring you to come in to get it repaired.
If you tend to chew on ice a lot, you should mention it to us when you come in for your next checkup. We will look closely for cracks in your teeth, and we can help you find a habit that is less likely to cause future damage.
Dentist Tigard, OR | Dental Blog - Lincoln Center Smiles Dr. Saklofsky has created an educational blog as a resource for our patients. If you like an article or the dental blog in general please share it to social media, then call (971) 317-9499 to make an appointment. Lincoln Center Smiles, 10500 SW Greenburg Rd, Suite 3, Portland, OR 97223-1406 | (503) 598-0898 | sakdental.com | 10/3/2024 | Key Phrases: dentist Tigard OR |
If you have a habit of chewing on ice, you need to know precisely what you are doing to your mouth. Chewing on ice can damage both your teeth and your gums, and it can even lead to losing a tooth if you are not careful. Ice is a very hard substance and is very cold, both of which can cause issues.