Could it have to do with temperature, not iron?

[apetruce]

What if we ice chewers are onto something else -- what if lowering your temperature from the inside actually does something good for you? I just read a great Wall Street Journal article (http://online.wsj.com/public/article_pr ... 27145.html) about ice chewing that put me onto this site.
I've heard about the anemia thing... but it doesn't make sense. What would chewing ice do to raise your iron levels? When people crave dirt, it is usually because dirt has the minerals they are lacking. The only think I can think is that chewing ice: a. Cements loose teeth into the gums by putting them to work. b. Allows you to ingest small amounts of enamel...could that be a calcium deficiency? c. Lowering your body temperature does something pleasurable or beneficial. Maybe it slows digestion, enabling us to absorb more nutrients? Maybe it slows the heart and internal organs, lowering the heat produced, making our body more efficient?
All I know is my mouth sometimes actually waters as I prepare my cup of ice -- which, I know from the article I do just the way everyone else has discovered works the best. Glass of water to soften it first....

[Tadaima]

You could be on to something with the temperature thing, apetruce...I have chronic migraines which cause my whole head to feel extremely hot from the inside out. Nothing feels better than crunchin' on some ice! It actually cools my head down until my migraine meds can start working.

Also since I had a couple of root canals exactly in the location where I chew, my teeth aren't sensitive anymore (since the nerve was removed) so I've been going through more cups of ice at one sitting. I'm sure it's bad for the crowns...but it's great not to feel that icky sensitivity!

Oh yeah, "soft" ice...it's the best! I fill a cup of ice up with warm water and then drain it four times to get just the right consistency. My husband thinks I'm nuts.