Surprisingly Unhealthy Habits

Chewing ice might seem harmless, but it can actually damage your teeth, and constantly craving and chewing ice could be a sign of iron deficiency anemia. The American Dental Association notes that chewing ice can damage teeth (breaks, cracks, etc.) and recommends letting small pieces of ice melt in your mouth. Constantly chewing ice is also a variant of pica, a disorder characterized by craving and eating substances that have no nutritional value (dirt, paper, ice, etc.). Pica can be a manifestation of a lack of certain nutrients in the body, such as iron and zinc. Iron is a main component of hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to all parts of the body. Low iron in the body can lead to anemia, a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells. Ask your doctor to test you for nutrient deficiencies.