Everyone has their own nervous habits and they are always hard to break. If biting your nails is your main source of stress relief, it may be time to find a new habit. Here are four reasons that will make you ditch your bad habit of biting your nails.
- Biting your nails will wear down your teeth significantly faster than the natural wear down process. Your teeth need a break between meals, but if they are constantly working away at your nails, the enamel will splinter and weaken, leaving your teeth fragile at a younger age.
- Bruxism, otherwise known as teeth grinding, is caused by biting your nails. When your jaw moves constantly, it will begin to grind even when you aren’t biting your nails. Bruxism causes a number of painful symptoms including tooth pain from the frequent rubbing motion, high sensitivity due to worn enamel, and constant jaw popping.
- There is nothing sanitary about biting your nails. Even if you wash your hands 10 times a day, the amount of germs under the fingernails is more than almost anywhere else, including your hands! No matter if it’s flu season or you’ve used the public bathroom, there is never a good time to put your hands in your mouth.
- Biting your nails is expensive. The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) did a study that shows people who bite their nails end up paying over $4,000 more on dental bills than those who do not. That’s enough for a set of veneers or a trip to Las Vegas!
Needless to say, biting your nails is a bad habit. If you are a habitual nail biter, you may want to consider this list the next time you are aimlessly searching the internet and find your fingers in your mouth.
If you or someone you know is experiencing toothaches or pain due to biting your nails or other issues related to your oral health, contact Greenspoint Dental in the Houston, Texas area today!