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Much of the damage that is done to the human mouth is done as the result of bad dental habits that people do without thinking.  All of these habits are learned behaviors and are so common in our society that the constant sight of other people doing them creates a strong, unconscious visual motivator to do likewise.  The good news is, none of these actions are addictive beyond the psychological level, and all can be overcome by conscious awareness and a decision to do something else. 

Chewing on Ice is one of those bad dental habits which people engage in unconsciously. 

It seems almost second nature to many people to do this after they have finished a drink or a glass of tea.  This causes severe damage to the mouth on multiple levels, though.  It can injure gums, and it can break teeth.  Sometimes the damage is so severe that the tooth has to be capped with a dental crown.

Chewing ice is more than a bad dental habit.  In many cases, there is a medical cause for this behavior: iron-deficiency anemia.  This is the most common type of anemia.  Roughly 20 percent of all women, 3 percent of men, and 50 percent of all pregnant women suffer from iron deficiency. 

This condition is brought on by inadequate iron intake or blood loss.  Menstruation and surgery are the two most common causes of blood loss in women.  When a woman is pregnant, she needs additional iron for the fetus and often becomes deficient in iron for herself. 

Iron is necessary for oxygen bonding to blood hemoglobin.  When there is not enough iron in the blood, there is a subsequent oxygen deficiency.  This can cause a person to feel tired all the time.  His or her skin may also look unusually pale.  If untreated, anemia can create an irregular heart beat as the heart works double time to make up for the low level of oxygen. 

A person who habitually chews ice should talk to a healthcare provider about the possibility of iron-deficient anemia.  If an examination reveals an anemic condition, medical steps can be taken immediately to overcome the iron deficiency in the blood. 

Regardless of the presence of anemia or not, chewing ice is a bad dental habit that should be broken immediately.  Sugar free gum is a healthy substitute.  For people who like the crunching sound that ice makes, can substitute baby carrots or apple chunks make excellent substitutes for ice, and will not harm teeth or gums. 

Using teeth as scissors is another bad dental habit normally motivated by being in too big of a hurry.  People will use their teeth as scissors on string, tear open envelopes or packages, and remove price tags from clothes.  Cloth string is bad enough for the teeth.  The monofilament strings used on price tags are extremely destructive to teeth.  They can actually cut through tooth enamel and leave divots in the teeth, which can later turn into fractures.

The principle of using the right tool for the job applies here.  When cutting anything, use a knife or scissors, never teeth. 

Another bad dental habit is using a toothpick as a substitute for dental floss.

This goes back to the principle of the right tool for the right job.  A toothpick has its place in the world, but it is not in the tight spaces between teeth.  Floss is needed in these areas to remove plaque and food debris.  Trying to force a toothpick into these places can injure gum tissue.  Toothpicks can also break off and leave pieces of wood wedged between teeth.  Always be gentle with a toothpick, and never chew on one.  Also, use only toothpicks with rounded ends.

Never chew on pencils, pens or other foreign objects.

Teeth are simply not built for this, and can easily fracture from this type of abuse.  Again, sugarless gum or healthy snacks are the best substitutes for this.