These are the reasons why you must ditch the bad habit of nail biting
NAIL BITING – Here are the reasons why you must ditch the nail biting, one of the many bad habits that could harm your health.
This happened is also called Onychophagia and this habit is done by 20 to 30 percent of the population, according to Reader’s Digest. Biting the nails may be a result of perfectionism, stress, anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, or just being bored and fidgety and this may seem to look fine for others. However, there are quite a few negative effects of doing this habit.
Here are the reasons why you must stop nail biting now.
Germs
“A study showed that nail biters had E. Coli, a bacteria which can cause stomach issues and more, in their saliva at three times the rate of non-nail biters,” Raman Madan, MD, the Director of Cosmetic Dermatology at Northwell Health and an Assistant Clinical Professor at Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell said.
Sickness
According to the article, this bad habit can lead to flu or cold. It is because viruses that can cause flu can also be found on your skin. Doctors advise washing of the hand frequently with soap and water. It is also helpful to chew gum instead of biting the nails.
Harmful to the teeth
In doing this bad habit, you are also doing harm to your teeth and gums. Biting the nails can crack, chip, or wear down the front teeth. In addition, it will also potentially lead to sore gums and gum tissue damage, according to the Academy of General Dentistry.
Infection
Nail biting can cause nail infection. The bacteria from your mouth may transfer to the openings in your fingers when you bite your nails. According to Dr. Madan, this infection is called chronic paronychia that occurs when there are tears and openings on your fingernails. Doing this bad habit can also damage the nail plate and this will prevent the nails to have normal growth that can lead to ingrown or scarred nails.
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