Nail Biting Is Harmful To Your Teeth

Are you a nail biter or know someone how bites their nails? I had a close friend that used to bite her nails so far down that she had barley any nails.

According to the academy of General Dentistry, anyone who bites their nails are damaging their teeth. By biting your nails you can crack, chip or most commonly wear down the front of the teeth from the stress caused by biting.  If you wear braces you can be in serious trouble since the braces already have pressure on the teeth biting can cause root resorption (shortening of the roots) or even tooth loss.

If you don't break this habit in the long run you can develop Bruxism which is the unintentional grinding or clenching of the teeth and can cause serious pain, headaches, tooth sensitivity, receding gums and tooth loss.

Below are some tips on breaking the nail biting habit:

• Identify triggers - Are you bored, nervous or stressed? 
• Manicures - You will less likely want to bite your nails when you just paid to have them done.
• Nail length - Keeps nails short, this way you wont be tempted to bite them
• Keep crunchy foods with you - Keeping chips or carrots with you will help with the temptation to bite your nails.