Why Biting Your Nails is Bad for You!
Nail-biting effects: get to know the damages of nail-biting and learn how to stop nail biting for good!
Knowledge
Why You Should Stop Biting Nails
Most of us have nervous habits that help us calm down when we are feeling not quite right. One of the most well-known and notorious nervous habits in nail-biting, which may seem innocent but is pretty bad for you. If you bite your nails regularly, here are a few reasons why biting your nails is bad for you:
Nail-biting causes inflammation
When you bite your nails, you are increasing the risk of infecting your nail and getting paronychia. The infection leads to redness, swelling, and pain around your nails and your cuticles. If the infection is viral, you can expect puss to form around your nails. Also, many people have viral warts near their nails that they chew on. If you do so and then chew other nails, warts will spread on your hands. Viral warts are difficult to treat, so if you have bumps near your nails, do not touch them.
The area underneath your nails infilled with germs
The area underneath the nails is a breeding ground for germs; even those who wash their hands often or sanitize them have germs under the nails. Why? Because it is difficult to get rid of the germs that thrive under nails. So, when you bite your nails, you are swallowing the germs that reside under your nails. As a result, you increase your chances of infections and getting ill – yet another reason to stop biting your nails.
It is bad for your teeth
It may come as a shock but your teeth are not tools and they should not be used as such; when your chew your nails, you run the risk of harming your teeth's enamel (their protective layer), breaking your teeth, and shifting them out of place. Aside from damage to your teeth, when biting nails regularly, you can also hurt your gums and cause infections. Fixing teeth is expensive, and treating infected gums is unpleasant, so you should avoid biting nails as much as possible.
Nail polish poisoning
If you like to put on nail polish or glue on artificial nails, you are exposed to toxic ingredients when biting your nails. Gel nail polish and regular polish as well contain toxins that are harmful when ingested. Over time, nail-biting can have harmful effects on your health when using nail polish, so it is a big no-no in every sense.
It may cause teeth grinding
Similar to nail-biting, teeth grinding is also a nervous habit that involves your teeth and gums. Those who bite their nails are more likely to start grinding their teeth, which will also have a harmful effect on your teeth.
How to Stop Biting Nails?
To prevent the damages caused by nail-biting, here are some tips that will help you stop biting your nails:
1. Cut your nails short – if you do not have enough nails to bite on, you will be less likely to nibble on your nails. So, to prevent nail-biting, cut your nails as short as possible.2. Think about your triggers – nail biting is a nervous habit, so if your find what triggers the biting, you will be better able to cope with it. When you bite your nails, take a moment to think about what caused it, and consider ways to cope with your triggers.
3. Invest in nail care – if your nails look healthy and manicured, you will want to keep them that way. So, go to a salon or buy yourself an at-home nail care kit that will repair the damages caused by nail-biting and also make your nails look healthier.
4. Coat your nails with a bad taste – nail-biting is a well-known habit, and as such, special products have been developed to make people stop biting their nails. You can purchase a special nail polish that has a bitter or unpleasant taste that is meant to deter you from biting your nails. When applying such nail polish, you will automatically stop biting your nails whenever you lift your hands towards your mouth, thus breaking the cycle.
5. Give yourself rewards for success – one of the best ways to encourage good habits and get rid of bad habits is to reward yourself with milestones. When you start breaking the habit of nail-biting, treat yourself with things you like. Set goals along the way, like not biting your nails for an entire day, an entire week, and so on. When you reach your marks, give yourself a little reward that will encourage you to keep going.
Nail-biting is an unpleasant habit that many people develop over the years. Aside from causing your nails to look broken and unhealthy, nail-biting can also have harmful effects on your health. Luckily, there are several ways to stop nail-biting, and by practicing healthy habits, you will be able to stop biting your nails for good.
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