Most people have experienced biting their nails as a child, but they eventually break away from that habit over time. However, some individuals find it challenging to stop biting their nails, possibly due to force of habit, nervousness, or anxiety. Either way, nail-biting is not good!
To some, nail-biting is an unhygienic and unflattering habit. However, it is much more than that—this seemingly harmless practice can actually cause serious problems for your oral health, appearance, and self-esteem.
Here are some of the ways nail-biting can affect you:
Your Teeth and Gums Will Suffer
Tearing your fingernails with your teeth is not only bad for your nails but also for your oral health! Tooth enamel may be the hardest substance in the body, but this doesn’t mean they won’t suffer any damage from prolonged nail-biting.
If you don’t stop biting your nails, your teeth and gums could end up suffering the following consequences:
Eroding, Cracking, and Chipping Teeth
Biting your nails a few times doesn’t do much to your teeth, but the enamel could wear away with constant grinding against nails. Once your enamel wears off, your teeth will be more susceptible to cavities and decay.
In addition, enamel loss will also increase the chances of your teeth chipping and cracking, significantly impacting the appearance of your smile.
Malocclusion
Sometimes, crooked teeth aren’t caused by genetics—they could also be because of your nail-biting habits! In a normal bite, the upper teeth would sit slightly forward of the lower teeth, but you could have problems with the bite when you have a malocclusion.
Aside from the alignment of the upper and lower teeth, nail-biting also causes gaps between each tooth to form. You’ll have to set up an appointment with a dentist near you to realign your teeth with braces.
Root Resorption
In the worst-case scenario, your teeth could fall out because of nail-biting! So, no, this isn’t a made-up scenario family dentists tell to prevent patients from biting their nails—root resorption is a very real and possible condition that could happen to you.
With the added pressure to your teeth by grinding them against your nails, the roots could resorb into the jaw bone, making your teeth weaker and more vulnerable to falling out. In addition, if you bite your nails while having braces, you have a higher risk of suffering from root resorption.
You’ll have Abnormal-Looking Nails
If you put great importance into the appearance of your hands, then you should seriously think about breaking your nail-biting habit. Tearing fingernails off with your teeth is far from accurate—you’re sure to bite off more than expected, and you may even tear a piece of skin.
Hangnails are not only unpleasant to look at, but they’re also prone to infection. Since they’re open sores, germs and bacteria could easily penetrate the skin and contaminate the area. So if you discover a hangnail on any of your fingers, avoid ripping it off, as you’ll only open more inner skin layers to bacteria.
Conclusion
Habits are never easy to break, especially if you’ve been so used to doing them for many years. However, if you don’t stop biting your nails anytime soon, your health will suffer! Make sure to get your teeth and gums examined by a family dentist to determine how much your nail-biting habit has impacted your oral health.
Are you suffering from teeth or gum problems due to nail-biting? Leave it to our skilled team at Kabani Dental to help you! Home to one of the best dentists in Marietta, our dental practice can assure you that we can provide the highest quality of care while making each visit as comfortable and pleasant as possible. Schedule your appointment today!