Nail biting is a common bad habit among adults, according to Psychology Today, which estimates that between 20 and 30% of the adult population has this habit. Although the reasons for starting nail biting vary from person to person, one theory suggests that it helps to control emotions.
For experts and professionals in the field, this coping mechanism, which almost always starts in childhood, can damage your smile. In any case, if you are in the percentage of men and women who bite their nails, we will tell you what the main reason is.
Why do we bite our nails?
For an award-winning cosmetic dentist working at Chelsea Dental Clinic in west London, Dr. Stewart, shared on his TikTok account how this common habit can lead to tooth damage and exposure to bacteria. Dr. Stewart warned of that To bite the nails This can cause tooth decay and even tooth decay.
Even if they say experts While stopping nail biting may be easier said than done, there are some tricks that can help you get started. The American Academy of Dermatology Association has some recommendations to stop this behavior that comes from anxiety and seeks to control emotions.
- Keep your nails short.
- Apply bitter tasting nail polish to your nails.
- Replace the habit of biting your nails with a good habit (if you feel the urge to bite your nails, try playing with a stress ball or playdough).
- Identify your reasons (by discovering what causes you to bite your nails, you can avoid these situations).
- Try to stop biting your nails slowly (try to stop biting a group of nails and then remove the others).
