Tupelo Dentist- Dr. Richard Caron's "Your Dental Health"- Chewing Ice

Speaker 1: Your Dental Health, brought to you by Tupelo Smiles, Family and Cosmetic Dentistry.

Richard Caron: Craving and chewing ice could possibly be a sign of anemia. Doctors use the term "Pica" to describe craving and chewing substances that have no nutritional value, such as ice, clay, cornstarch, or paper. Craving and chewing ice is often associated with iron deficiency anemia. It can be linked to other nutritional problems as well.

Richard Caron: It is not known why some people with iron deficiency anemia crave and chew ice. It may be because of ice's pain-relieving properties, since some people with iron deficiency anemia experience tongue pain and inflammation. Some researchers have found that ice might have a new and better taste to people who are iron deficient.

Richard Caron: Pica can be a sign of emotional problems such as stress, obsessive compulsive disorder, or a developmental disorder. A thorough medical evaluation can help determine if Pica is due to an underlying medical condition.

Richard Caron: For your dental health, I'm Dr. Richard Caron.

Speaker 1: For more information on this topic or to make an appointment, call Tupelo Smiles at (662) 840-1535.