Nail biting, known scientifically as onychophagia, is quite a common behavior that affects all ages. Most people don’t take it seriously, but research shows that it can cause health problems.
According to research, 40% of young people and 30% of adults bite their nails. According to the same research, 40% of people damage their teeth with this habit.
Onychophagia is an impulse control disorder in which a person bites their nails and the skin around them.
What is the link between nail biting and teeth? You have probably heard that biting nuts, bones, ice and other hard things can damage your teeth. The same can be said about nails. A nail is quite a hard structure, and biting it puts a lot of pressure on the teeth. Over time, nail biting causes cracks in the teeth, chipped enamel and fractures.
Besides mechanical damage to the teeth, nail biting can also bring disease-causing microbes into the mouth. According to experts, this bad habit can cause gum inflammation, which in the future can lead to tooth loss and many other problems.
This habit is especially harmful for people who wear braces. Anyone who wears braces knows how much pressure is put on the teeth. If you add nail biting to this pressure, you can probably imagine the stress you put on your teeth. This weakens them and disrupts orthodontic treatment.
To solve this problem, talking and having a dialogue with children is recommended. For example, girls can be encouraged to grow their nails so that they look prettier. With boys, it’s a little more difficult. There are special finger caps that are worn on the fingers. The nails can also be coated with bitter-tasting solutions. For adults, psychotherapy is recommended to deal with this problem.
