#Pica disease full#

#Pica disease full#

People with eating disorders other than pica might also frequently chew on ice to feel full without ingesting any calories.ĭry mouth. This can be because your body wants nutrients that it is lacking. A drive to chew on ice might be due to an eating disorder. Having low levels of iron is the most common nutritional deficiency associated with pagophagia, but low calcium can also trigger the condition.Įating disorders. Chewing on ice helps people with iron deficiency feel more alert and mentally sharp.Ĭalcium deficiency. ‌There are good reasons people with iron deficiency anemia want to chew on ice. In one study, 16% of people with iron deficiency anemia reported a strong craving to chew on ice.‌ Iron deficiency or iron deficiency anemia is the most common cause of pagophagia. These symptoms are tied to anemia, a common underlying cause of pagophagia. The above symptoms aren’t caused by chewing ice, however. If you have pagophagia you might also have some of the following symptoms: People with pagophagia chew ice cubes, shaved ice, crushed ice, or frost regularly. The main symptom of pagophagia is chewing ice. Chewing on ice only becomes pagophagia when the drive to chew ice is intense and persistent. If you occasionally enjoy crunching on leftover ice cubes, such as when you finish a fountain drink, that isn’t pagophagia. If your craving is for ice, then you have a specific type of pica called pagophagia. Pica is the desire to eat non-nutritional items such as dirt or paper. You have pagophagia if you find yourself frequently driven to chew on ice cubes, ice chips, or even frost from your freezer. Pagophagia is an intense craving to chew on ice. Read on to find out the causes, symptoms, and treatment options for pagophagia today. Regularly chewing on ice is damaging to your teeth, and it might signal an underlying health condition.

This is often caused by a nutrition deficiency. If you have an intense craving to chew on ice, you might have a condition called pagophagia.