Three ways Nail Biting can affect your Oral Health

 

It seems like most people have at least one bad habit. When I was younger mine was nail biting. I have since grown out of it and I’m so glad I have since now I know there are things that could affect your mouth and teeth. 

The first thing that can be affected are your front teeth. The enamel on your teeth is pretty strong but if you’ve bitten your nails before you know how strong they can be also.  When we bite our nails we use our front teeth. After time, a natural wear occurs in the teeth, with nail biting, which makes them appear shorter, can cause cracks, cavities and even cause your teeth to not sit properly when together. 

Another way nail biting plays a part in your oral health is that it can increase the risk of developing Bruxism.  Bruxism is a condition of chronic grinding and clenching of the teeth. There are obvious issues that can occur if Bruxism is followed by nail biting early on. The constant grinding and clenching can cause pain in the jaw and neck area, cracked teeth, gum recession and even tooth loss. 

Lastly, infections can occur in the mouth. We all know that nails can be sharp and if you scratch your gum while biting your nails it can not only cause damage to your gum tissue but it can transfer bacteria into your mouth.  No one wants that. 

So here are a few tips to keep from putting your nails in your mouth. 

-Get a manicure. If you have polish on your nails and they look nice you are less likely to put them in your mouth. 

-They sell polish that smells yummy but tastes gross.. find it and buy some!

-Keep a nail file handy…. I know when my nail breaks my first instinct is to bite the jagged parts off. If I have a file I’m more inclined to just file and it’s good. 

-Schedule to be fitted for a mouth guard. It will not only help with the nail biting but if you have developed any of those grinding habits it will help with that too.