Nail-biting is one of the popular mechanisms that a lot of people have embraced for momentary relief against stress, nervousness and boredom. Nail-biting can be a result of genetics. But it is one demon that should always be best-avoided.
Fingernail biting is often associated with genetics. It is seen in female counterparts more rather than the males.
The pearly whites that we possess happen to portray excellent benefits. They are responsible for enabling us to have a beautiful smile, speak clearly and eat whatever we want to. It is for this reason that our oral health is said to be one of the most valuable assets that one has.
But there is something that your teeth are not suitable for, and that happens to be your habit of biting the nails. Here are a few of the harmful effects of nail-biting on your teeth. Just read on.
Why is nail-biting bad?
- Nail-biting Can Lead to Chipping of the Teeth – This is one of the most important reasons to quit biting your nails. Chewing on the fingernails can wreak havoc on the teeth. At times, when biting the nail, the teeth can collide quite hard, which can result in chipping of the teeth. Chipping the tooth is one of the most significant reasons and is said to be the only problem in which the biting of nails can impact the teeth. However, research reveals that biting of nails can affect the teeth in various other ways.
- Biting the Nail May Give Rise to Diastema – Nail biting can create a distance between the teeth or cause diastema if this problem begins when a person is at a tender age. Though it is hard to prove it, dentists have discouraged it because of this reason, too, over the years. Although this has a high probability of occurring, it won’t if someone does not shove the nail between the teeth.
- Makes your teeth weaker – If you bite your nails during the orthodontic treatment, especially when using the braces, root resorption occurs. This implies the root portions of the teeth getting affected by the adjacent bone. This leads to the teeth roots becoming feebler.
- May Cause Bruxism – The nail biters are said to be at an enhanced risk of bruxism. When you subconsciously clench or grind the teeth, bruxism occurs. This is one dental problem that can give rise to several other issues like jaw pain, headaches, and locking or popping of the jaw.
- Biting the Nail Can Give Rise to Gingivitis – There are case studies that portray the fact that a child after chewing the nail has shoved it up between the teeth and the gums which have damaged the gums massively. You may think that it is relatively uncommon, but it is not the case. You will get several reports corroborating this fact. Post chewing them off kids can do anything with their nails. So you should try your best to make them get rid of this habit to avoid dangerous consequences.
- Biting the Nail May Cause Jaw Pain or TMJ– Apart from bruxism, TMJ disorder can also be caused by nail-biting. This happens because the nail biters often have to adjust their jaws to chew a specific piece of nail. As a result of this, the jaw is put under abnormal pressure.
- Biting the Nail Can Lead to Halitosis – The bacteria in your fingernails can keep lingering on your mouth, and this can give rise to halitosis or bad breath.
- Biting the Nail Can Enhance the Infection Risk – Nail biting enhances the risk of paronychia, which is the nail infection. The Paronychia symptoms include a red, painful or swollen area that surrounds the nail. This occurs at the hangnail site, at the cuticle or other injuries. You will find many pus-filled blisters in this area if the infection becomes bacterial. Again, when you chew on the nails that have warts caused by a virus, they enter the mouth which can cause warts to affect various other regions of the body, including the gums and tongue.
- Biting the Nail May Damage Tooth Enamel– Apart from your teeth getting chipped, the nail-biting can also create damage to the enamel of the teeth. The repeated flexing of the teeth’s enamel occurs when you bite your nails, and this can damage the enamel. This can result in the teeth getting sensitive or the teeth breaking.
The above are some of the significant reasons why nail biting is said to be bad for your teeth as well as your oral health. It is for this reason that you should shun this habit as soon as possible so that you do have not only beautiful nails but also a million-dollar smile which you can flaunt whenever you want.
Author Bio:
Praveen Singh is a writer and blogger, and a professional interested in sharing interesting ideas with the world. His blogs give a peek into things that aim to inform, enrich and entertain the readers. He loves sharing views on anything that provides value to the readers and helps broaden their horizon. He contributes to finding the right dentist near your location.