Biting nails why is it bad

Request Appointment. Healthy Lifestyle Adult health. Products and services. Does nail biting cause any long-term nail damage? Answer From Lawrence E. With Lawrence E. Thank you for Subscribing Our Housecall e-newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest health information. Please try again. Something went wrong on our side, please try again.

Show references How to stop biting your nails. American Academy of Dermatology. Accessed June 13, Singal A, et al. Nail tic disorders: Manifestations, pathogenesis and management. Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology. Halteh P, et al. In particular, a family of bacteria called enterobacteriaceae — which includes salmonella and E. When you bite your nails, those bacteria end up in your mouth and gut, where they can cause gastro-intestinal infections that lead to diarrhea and abdominal pain.

Long-term, habitual nail nibblers can also suffer from a type of infection called paronychia, Scher says. Tears or abrasions in the skin of your fingertips allow strains of bacteria or yeast to get inside.

Both cause swelling, redness, and a buildup of puss around and under the nail, which has to be drained surgically and treated with antibiotics or antifungal agents, he explains. If the infection is bacterial, the nail can also become tender and painful.

After infecting the fingers, these warts can then spread to your mouth and lips, Adigun adds. The perils of nail biting also extend to your teeth. Further, the pressure put on your teeth can even move them out of alignment, leading to bite problems. As you can imagine, nail biting has an even greater impact if you are wearing braces, because those teeth are already under pressure. Why do we bite? Nail biting, or onychophagia, is a habit often started in childhood. Some people quit on their own as they reach adulthood, but for others, it can be a lifelong and painful habit.

Whatever the cause, if you want to break the habit, you have options. There are over the counter polishes that use an unpleasant taste to deter biting. Learning to recognize triggers such as stress or boredom can help you choose a different response, such as snapping a rubber band around your wrist or gripping a stress ball. Zamikoff, Dr.