Do you often or like to eat ice cubes?, bwhether taken straight from the refrigerator or leftover from the drink consumed? If so, better limit it from now on, because mwill ice cubes too often can cause health problems.
When the weather is hot, consuming cold food or drinks with ice cubes added is certainly a refreshing thing and can quench thirst. Eating ice cubes is no longer a new thing. Both children and adults like to do it a lot.
However, instead of refreshing, having the habit of eating ice cubes can cause a number of health problems.
Dangers of eating ice cubes
One part of the body that can be disturbed due to your habit of eating ice cubes is your teeth. Teeth are the strongest parts of the body, but that doesn't mean crushing or biting ice cubes every day is safe for your teeth.
Eating too much ice can erode the protective layer or tooth enamel. Thin tooth enamel can cause sensitive teeth, so the teeth are easy to feel sore and painful.
In addition, other problems from consuming too much ice cubes are also related to the processing and storage of ice cubes that are less clean or unhygienic.
If the ice cubes eaten are not clean, there can be transmission of various germs, viruses, and parasites that carry diseases, such as gastroenteritis or diarrhea, typhoid fever, shigellosis, hepatitis A, and cholera.
Therefore, if you want to consume ice cubes, make sure that the ice is made using clean water and stored or produced hygienically.
Eating ice cubes can be a sign of illness
Apart from habitual factors, liking to eat ice cubes can also be a sign of someone suffering from iron deficiency anemia. There is a theory which states that consuming ice cubes can increase the blood supply to the brain, so that the symptoms of anemia felt by sufferers are reduced.
That is why, many people with this type of anemia like to eat ice cubes, whether consciously or not.
If you often eat ice cubes and experience symptoms of iron deficiency anemia, such as brittle nails, dry mouth, pale skin, and swelling of the tongue, consult a doctor immediately.
Without proper treatment, iron deficiency anemia can cause complications such as:
Disorders of the heart
When suffering from iron deficiency anemia, the supply of oxygen in the blood is reduced. As a result, the heart must pump blood faster than usual so that the oxygen needs of the body's organs are met.
An abnormal or too fast heartbeat that over time can cause an enlarged heart or even heart failure.
stunted growth
In infants and children, iron deficiency anemia can cause problems with growth and development. In addition, this condition can also make children more susceptible to infection due to their weakened immune system.
Pregnancy problems
Pregnant women with iron deficiency anemia are at high risk of premature birth and low birth weight babies. If you are pregnant, be sure to have regular checkups.
Apart from the possibility of iron deficiency anemia, fond of eating ice cubes may also be caused by a psychological problem called pica. Pica is an eating disorder in which a person likes to eat things that are not natural, such as soil, paper, cigarette butts, chalk, coins, to ice cubes in excess.
Stopping the Habit of Eating Ice Cubes
Handling the habit of eating ice cubes must be adjusted to the cause. If this habit is caused by iron deficiency anemia, then the treatment can be by eating foods that contain lots of iron or iron supplements if needed.
However, the use of iron supplements must be prescribed and supervised by a doctor. If the dose is too high, you can experience excess iron intake which is also not good for health.
Meanwhile, if the habit of eating ice cubes is caused by pica, the treatment can be with psychotherapy or the administration of antipsychotic drugs if the symptoms are related to psychotic disorders.
However, not everyone who likes to eat ice cubes indicates that they have certain health problems. In most cases, eating ice cubes is done to refresh and cool the body when the weather is hot.
However, if the habit of eating ice cubes is accompanied by symptoms of other diseases, such as iron deficiency anemia or pica, you should immediately consult a doctor so that treatment can be given.
