Top Reasons Why Biting Nails With Mouth Can Seriously Harm Your Health
Nail biting usually occurs when a person is suffering from stress, anxiety, or nervousness. Such feelings trigger the person to automatically chew on the nails to attain calmness.
Now, is it the only way to calm
yourself, or is their any alternative solutions? Of course there are. And before
we answer that, here are the horrifying facts that will explain why you should
stop biting your nails.
•• Your nails are full of germs. No
matter how many times you wash your hands, germs will still live under your
fingernails. Because among all other body parts, your hands, meaning your
fingers which have nails, come into contact with surfaces of all types. The thing
is, your fingers may stay clean, but your nails aren’t.
So when you are biting your
nails, you are also biting on the earthly bacteria, germs, yeast, etc. Yum!
•• You are transferring the
bacteria into your mouth. So what happens after chewing on your delicious germs
and bacteria? You are carting them from your nails to your mouth. Once they are
inside your mouth, they will eventually enter your digestive system. In 2007, a
group of Turkish scientists experimented on 59 people, combined of nail biters
and non-nail biters, to see whether they transport bacteria to the mouth. After
swabbing each person’s saliva, the results were quite alarming. 76% actually
transported E. coli, and similar germs, compared to 26.5% of non biters. E.coli
is responsible for diarrhea and vomiting.
•• In extreme case, you can end
up with oral STIs. It is not only commuting E.coli and other bacteria, in
extreme cases, you may end up
with oral STIs. If you are a nail biter, and one fine day you notice herpes, or
blisters on your lips, don’t fret. They are the results of your nail bacteria
that you have successfully transferred to your mouth.
•• From bacteria in your mouth to
dental damage. When you are constantly gnawing down your nails, your teeth are
clicking together. This results in tooth fracture, tooth chips, and in rare
cases, tooth loss.
•• For biters who wear braces,
brace yourself! Those of you who wear braces, you are risking yourself into tooth
resorption, meaning your body cells are reabsorbing its own cells, and tissues.
There is also a possibility that your braces might break down which would force
you toundergo expensive and potentially painful dental treatment.
•• You’ll end up having stinky
breath. Stinky breath occurs due to bacteria in your mouth and saliva. When you
are continuously biting your nails and transferring different bacteria, they
are prone to permanently stay inside your mouth. This leads to stinky breath,
which, no matter how many times you wash your mouth with fresheners, the foul
breath will never go away.
•• You may have pus in your
fingernails. What happens when you bite your nails? You leave the nail bed
exposed. Bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus, can enter the open pores and
build pus around the nails, causing nail abnormality. This pus is a horrible
business. It can be cured through pills, or has to be drained out through surgery.
•• Polish your nails, but don’t
eat them! Nails look beautiful with nail polishes. But if you are prone
to eat them, then stop using
them. Because polishes contain harmful chemicals, and some varnishes contain formaldehyde,
the chemical that is used to embalm dead bodies. If this information isn’t
enough scary to put you off, then I don’t know what is.
•• In the end, your nails will
never grow back to normal. Nails are formed on nail beds, and never-ending
biting will eventually ruin your nail bed. Your once long nails will gradually
shorten, and at one point, will no longer grow any further. The nail’s surface
will tear off as well, looking awful, and embarrassing for you to publicly show
off.
So, how can you ever stop? Now,
you know what harm you are doing to yourself through this horrendous activity.Previously,
I have mentioned that there are solutions to stop biting nails. Well, first of
all, try to stay relaxed and avoid too much stress and frustration. If you
can’t, or not allowed to, then indulge yourself to physical exercise/activities
that releases stress. You can go for manicures. That will make you feel guilty
of spoiling your beautifully trimmed, polished nails. Put some nail polish and
imagine the harm you are doing by biting into the varnishes.
And if you really want to chew on
something then try sugar- free chewing gum. They might help you! Just stay away
from biting your beautiful nails because when you do that it shows how anxious
you stay all day. In public places with people around, it might not be a pretty
sight.
TIPS BY: AYOYINKA O.B
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