Why you shouldn’t bite your nails

Constant nail biting will not kill you, of course, but it can cause a lot of trouble. Here are the main dangers that lie in wait for those who like to put their fingers in their mouths:

1. The shape of the nails and the condition of the skin around them deteriorate. Burrs appear, and if you also accidentally damage the top layer of the skin, an infection can get into the wound and cause severe inflammation.
2. The condition of the teeth worsens: chips and cracks in the enamel are possible. But teeth, as you know, are not nails and will not grow back on their own. In addition, the front teeth are under threat, the condition of which is striking to others. You can also earn inflammation of the gums and oral cavity.
3. The risk of digestive disorders increases. On the hands, especially under the nails, a huge number of microbes live. If you drag your hands into your mouth again and again, sooner or later, harmful microorganisms from under your nails will attack you from the inside.

How to get rid of a bad habit

1. Trim your nails regularly

The shorter the nail, the harder it is to bite.

2. Get a professional manicure

You will be sorry to ruin your manicure. Firstly, because it is beautiful, and secondly, because it is expensive. For the sake of parting with a nasty habit, you can cover your nails with gel or acrylic: it is quite difficult to bite off this.

3. Start saving one nail

Give up the habit gradually: first, forbid yourself to bite a nail, for example, on the thumb of your right hand. At first, it will be difficult to remember the ban, but in the end you will be able to remove one finger from among the nibbled ones, and the appearance of the nail on it will surely please you. After that, add the nail of the index finger to the number of guarded objects, and so on, until the habit disappears completely.

4. Use Special Bitter Tasting Coatings

There are varnishes and enamels against nail biting. These funds are sold both in pharmacies and in cosmetic stores.

5. Wear gloves or plaster your nails

Cardinally, but effectively: in this case, you will not physically be able to get to the nails.

6. Watch yourself

Try to understand in what situations or in what emotional state you put your hands in your mouth. Perhaps you are provoked by an uneven edge of the nail or a hangnail, or maybe you are just bored or anxious. Find out the reason, and it will be much easier for you to control yourself.

7. Swap one habit for another

Hold something in your hands more often – squeeze an anti-stress toy, spin a spinner, drive a coin between your fingers, or just click a fountain pen. Instead of nails, chew an apple or chew gum. In a word, occupy your mouth and hands with something less harmful.

8. Go to the doctor

Sometimes nail biting signals mental or emotional overload. If you have already tried everything, but the habit turned out to be stronger than you, consult a doctor.