Stop Nail Biting Before it Bites You Back

Stop Nail Biting Before it Bites You Back

The duty of your teeth are to chew food, but too often we see patients whose teeth have picked up an undesirable second job – chewing nails.

Nail biting, also known as Onychophagia,  is common in childhood, adolescence, and even into early adulthood. Teenagers are the most frequent culprits, boys tend toward nail biting more than girls, and most adults have dropped the habit by the age of 30. That being said, nail biting is unsanitary, unattractive, as well as unhealthy for your teeth!



Here’s why nail biting is bad for you:



• It’s unsanitary. Your nails are dirty, almost twice as dirty as your fingers! Hence, biting your nails is just asking for germs and bacteria.


• No good things come to your teeth. Nail biting causes your teeth to constantly be chewing, which is not good for them. This excessive motion wears your teeth down faster than a non-nail biter’s and puts a large amount of stress on your front teeth- contributing to teeth misalignment.


• Braces don’t love it either. Braces already put pressure on teeth, nail biting ads unnecessary pressure, further stressing your teeth and weakening their roots.


• It can be costly. Nail biting can result in up to $4,000 in additional dental bills over one lifetime, according to the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD). Yikes!

Adults can beat the nail-biting habit with a little will power. Follow these tips: 

• Keep nails trimmed and filed. Paying positive attention to your nails can help you overcome the urge to bite.
• Have regular manicures or paint nails regularly. Polish serves as a visual reminder to avoid biting, or a reward after a week of abstinence.
• Cover nails with a bitter-tasting polish. It’s difficult to bite your nails when they taste like pepper or something sour.
• Snap a rubber band on the inside of the wrist when nail biting occurs. Train yourself to stop biting with a negative physical response.
• Ask a family member for help. If you find yourself biting your nails without thinking about it, a family member can (kindly) point out your behavior to you.
• Carry a nail file and clippers. When the urge to bite strikes, file or trim instead.

Parents, help your children quit - it could lower future dental bills. Try these tips:

• Be clear about the problems with nail biting. Explain that you don’t like nail biting because it’s unhealthy and it makes nails look bad. 
• Provide simple alternatives to nail biting. When you find your child biting, suggest a different, age-appropriate activity.
• Avoid negativity. Children can respond to punishment or criticism by nail biting to spite parents.
• Embrace positive reinforcement. Designate a fun activity after a day without biting, and a larger reward for a week without biting.
• Get your child involved in the process. Ask him his opinion on the best way to quit.
• Make use of physical barriers. Use bitter-tasting nail polish during the day or bandages or socks on the hands at night to remind your child not to bite.
• Be patient. Habits don’t appear overnight, nor do they disappear quickly. Be prepared to handle relapses calmly.

Regardless of age, nail biting is often a stress-induced activity. Pay attention to nail biting patterns. If nail biting regularly occurs in response to a stressful situation, it’s more useful to focus on removing or dealing with the stressor.

No matter what the underlying cause, nail biting is a habit best avoided or overcome. Aside from a set of beautiful nails, a recovered biter enjoys a hearty sense of accomplishment.

Meet a friendly Tampa Bay dentist who will care for your smile gently and using the most appropriate techniques. Click here to discover Seven Oaks Family & Cosmetic Dentistry serving New and North Tampa.