WHETHER IT’S DONE consciously or subconsciously, nail biting habits affect people of all ages, especially kids. About 30% of kids from age 7-10 bite their nails, and 45% of teenagers have this habit. Now on the surface, nail biting may not seem like a big deal. However, fairly severe consequences can result in both oral and overall health problems.
Nail Biting’s Effects On Your Teeth
1. Nail biting can crack, chip and wear down teeth. Your front teeth are lot different from your back teeth in terms of functionality. They aren’t designed for gnawing or chewing. 2. Nail biting can shift tooth alignment and damage existing dental work. 3. Nail biting risks gum tissue damage. Bitten nail pieces can easily tear into your gum tissue increasing the risk of gum disease and eventual tooth loss. 4. Nail biting can be expensive. The Academy of General Dentistry estimates that nail biters incur an additional $4,000 in future dental repairs.
Nail Biting’s Effects On Your Health
Think about the most germ-concentrated areas of your body—your mouth and hands. You can imagine what happens when those two areas are in constant contact. And when there are even tiny, tiny breaks in the skin, germs get a free hall pass to your bloodstream. Yuck. Here are a few more very compelling reasons to stop from a prominent dermatologist at Derm TV:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTj5iNd-yRI&version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0]
Tips For Quitting
So you know that the nail-biting has to go. But how do you help your kid quit?
- Keep their nails looking nice. It will help motivate your child to leave them alone.
- Point it out (nicely). Sometimes people don’t even notice when they’re doing it.
- Notice the trigger(s). See whether nail biting is a product of boredom, anxiety, etc. and find other ways to deal with those situations.
- Treat their nails. There are many awful tasting products—designed for this purpose—that you can put on your kid’s nails to really deter them.
Do You Have Any Helpful Quitting Ideas To Add?
Do you struggle with biting your nails? Does someone you love bite his or her nails? We hope the content of this post has helped. Let us know if there is anything else our team can do to help, or if you have other questions. Do YOU have any tips for quitting? Share them below or connect with us on our Facebook page. We’re always excited to hear from you!
