A lot of people bite their nails, and many even do it without knowing because they have become so addicted to it. A study even found that about 50 percent of people would bite their nails at some point in their lives.
People bite their nails for different reasons: when they are tensed or uncomfortable, when they want to trim their nails or just because they are used to it.
Minus the fact that biting your nails is a terrible habit, it also comes with some health hazards that you should be wary of.
1. THE THINGS YOU TOUCH
If you take notice of the things you touch daily, ranging from the toilet seat to the rails of a staircase and people we shake, not aware of the things they have also touched then you would agree with me you shouldn’t bite your nails. Germs can live on these surfaces for quite some hours, and biting your nails would expose you to bacteria that can lead to certain illnesses.
2. COULD LEAD TO TEAR
Biting your nails could have a worse effect on a dry skin. It could lead to a tear of the skin surrounding the nails, and this torn skin can easily get infected.
3. CAN WEAKEN THE ROOTS OF YOUR TEETH
According to a research, nail biting during orthodontic treatment can lead to root resorption. This can weaken the roots of the teeth.
4. BAD FOR TEETH FORMATION
Biting your nails is bad for your teeth formation. It may affect the dental formation of your teeth, make them shift out of their proper position and also affect the manner which the upper and lower teeth come together.
5. CAN MAKE YOUR FINGERS LOOK TERRIBLE
Many people who bite their nails end up having terrible fingers. Biting your fingers can cause them to grow in an uneven fashion and also make them look disorderly.
6. CAN DAMAGE YOUR ENAMEL
This is also another reason biting hard on your nails is never good. When you repeatedly jam your teeth together as you bite on your nail, you can cause your enamel to fracture.
7. TMJ DISORDERS
Research has also found that biting hard on your nails can cause temporomandibular joint and muscle disorders. TMJ is a condition that causes pain and dysfunction in the jaw joint and muscles that control movement of the jaw.
8. IT’S A BAD HABIT
In general terms, biting your nails is a bad habit and one that especially passes a wrong message when in public. If you bite your nails at this stage in life then what would you say to your kids and younger ones.
9. YOU CAN’T PICK UP CERTAIN THINGS
Some people even bite their nails till it goes lower than normal. At this stage, it’s even difficult to do certain things like pick your debit card when it’s flat on the floor, opening Plastic cans and even wearing a necklace would be a difficult job.
Biting your nails is a terrible habit that you should stop today.
S.O Z