If you bite your nails, then you probably already know it’s one of those habits that are just hard to break, and it happens without you even realizing most times. Unfortunately, nail biting can also come with several negative consequences that you may not have been aware of —until now!
In this blog post, we will discuss five reasons why you shouldn’t bite your nails.
-
Your nails carry a lot of germs
Our hands come into contact with so many different things throughout the day, so it would make sense that our nails would collect a number of germs from those surfaces. Even after religiously washing your hands multiple times per day, our nails remain a hotbed for bacteria and other unfamiliar microbes.
If you’re an avid nail biter, all of that dirt and grime can easily get ingested if not given the proper care it deserves. This, combined with the fact that biting your nails can cause pain and bleeding, should be more than enough reason to break any existing habits when it comes to nail biting.
So if you’re looking for ways to lower your chances of getting sick, then kicking your nail-biting habit is a good place to start.
-
It can cause damage to your teeth
If you’re turning to your nails for a bit of calm, it may be doing more harm than good. Biting your nails can cause much more damage than just a hangnail. Not only is it unhygienic and anxiety-provoking, but over time your teth can develop craze lines teeth or even get cracked.
Craze lines, which often appear in multiple places on the enamel surface, are like tiny fractures that weaken the structure of the tooth and make it prone to further damage down the road.
Even mild nail biting can eventually lead to permanent cracks in your teeth, which could require costly treatments to fix. So next time you feel the urge to bite your nails, try taking a deep breath or use fidget toys instead!
-
It can cause infections
Not only can nail biting cause harm to your teeth, but it can also lead to infections. Biting your nails exposes the delicate skin beneath them to bacteria and other germs that may be harmful. This can increase the chances of developing an infection, which could have a negative impact on both your physical and mental health.
What’s more, if you already have cuts or sore around your nails, biting them can open them up to further infection and make it more difficult for them to heal.
-
Hangnails and ingrown nails
Biting your nails may seem like a harmless habit, but it can cause serious issues in the long run.
Hangnails and ingrown nails are two things you definitely don’t want to deal with if you bite your nails. These problems not only hurt, but can also take longer to heal than normal due to them being related to nail biting.
Hangnails are produced by torn skin around the side and base of the nail while ingrown nails occur when a portion of the nail breaks through the skin of either a finger or toe, causing swelling and pain.
Instead of dealing with these unfortunate consequences, it is better to just stop biting your nails in the first place! Believe us, it’s just not worth it when all that stands in between you and healthier nails is a little bit of willpower.
-
Potential toxic poisoning
Biting your nails can be a nasty habit, but it can also be an even nastier one if you happen to wear nail polish!
When you bite your nails which have gel nail polish on them, you are consuming the harsh chemicals present in the polish which can lead to toxic poisoning. This is because nail polishes usually contain camphor, formaldehyde resin and other toxic chemical ingredients that are unhealthy for human beings when ingested.
So, if you’ve started biting your nails with a fresh coat of gel nail polish on them, it’s probably a good idea to stop and eliminate the risk of long-term negative effects.
Conclusion
Overall, nail biting can be a difficult habit to kick, but it is ultimately worth it in the long run. Not only does it carry the potential for infection or damage to your teeth and nails, but it could also lead to toxic poisoning if you’re wearing gel polish. If you want healthier looking nails and fewer trips to the dentist, kicking your nail-biting habit is the way to go. It might take some time and effort, but with a little bit of perseverance it’s definitely achievable!
