I’m one of those “ice chewing” people – whenever and wherever I get the chance to do so!
And when I say that, I mean the only ice I’m usually munching on is Sonic Drive-in’s iconic “nugget” ice pieces and chips.
I know that it’s a controversial topic for parents and dentists alike, but I’ve been doing it for years and don’t think I’m going to stop any time soon.
If you Google the reasons why people chew and eat ice you’ll get every reason under the sun from iron deficiency anemia and pregnancy to dehydration and emotional stress.
I’m also pretty sure if I wanted to read too much into the concept that it might qualify as a bit of an addiction.
Though I don’t get twitchy when I don’t satisfy the weird desire to eat ice so, maybe it’s not an addiction for me?
Either way, I’m not really a fan of self-diagnosis or limiting the small things I enjoy too much.
Besides, ice is just frozen water and therefore hydrating and good for the human body.
Plus, it’s refreshing during our unbearably hot days as of late – much to my mom’s dismay.
She reminds me often that eating plain ice is bad for my teeth and it doesn’t do too much to faze me.
That’s not to say that I’m crunching down on an entire cup of ice either!
I usually just wait until I’ve finished my drink of choice then savor the crisp, cooling little nuggets of ice as quietly as possible.
After all, I know that some people have auditory sensitivities when it comes to people eating and make sure I do mine with my mouth closed.
And that’s a rule of thumb regardless of whatever I’m eating – not just ice!
Luckily for me, there are also a few other places to get my ice fixation handled besides Sonic – there are a few gas station convenience stores that also carry a similar batch of ice and the Dairy Queen by Bay City High School, too.
I don’t know if that Dairy Queen store has them lately, but I’m content to just get my ice at Sonic or Speedy Stop right now due to the proximity those stops have in relation to our house.
Either way, I also have to confess that I’ll chow down on nugget ice all year long but go through my most cups during the summer.
The good news about that is that we’re in summertime mode for almost the entire year and probably a generous seven-to-nine months at least!
When winter sets in, I’m still all for ice cold drinks indoors, but I’m less likely to eat ice during those few weeks of chilly temperatures.
I think the best part about being an ice-cruncher is that I know I’m not the only one – I have friends who have the same quirky need.
Plus, my siblings also have the same ice-chewing habits to varying degrees, too.
Overall, it might be bad for my teeth but that just means I’ll be saving up my money to address that later on down the road.
Until then, if you see me with a Rt. 44 Sonic cup in hand, you can be guaranteed that I’ll be munching on ice once I’ve finished my drink!
