Whether you’re bored or stressed, biting your fingernails can seem like the perfect band-aid.
Psychology Today explains that nail biting is quite common habit in adults, with 20 to 30 percent of the population estimated to indulge in this practice.
While the reason why people start often differs, one theory is that it helps them to regulate their emotions.
However, the coping mechanism that almost always begins in childhood could spell bad news for your smile, according to an expert.
An award-winning cosmetic dentist, who works at the Chelsea Dental Clinic in West London, took to his TikTok to reveal how the common practice can lead to tooth damage and bacteria exposure.
Dr Stewart captioned the video: “Don’t ever do this one thing if you want great teeth”.
The 16-second clip warns that nail biting could leave your teeth chipped and even prompt them to break.
The doctor said: “Avoid this one thing because it is so bad, and that is biting fingernails.
“It causes your teeth to chip and break, but also there are so many bacteria underneath your fingernails.
“It’s a bit disgusting, so don’t do that, please.”
Children and teenagers seem the most prone to nail-biting, with some estimates suggesting that almost 40 percent of children and nearly half of teenagers bite their nails.
Dr Stewart ended the video by saying: “Do you bite your fingernails? Please stop.”
While this might be easier said than done, there are some tricks that could help you get started.
The American Academy of Dermatology Association recommends the following:
- Keep your nails trimmed short
- Apply bitter-tasting nail polish to your nails
- Replace the nail-biting habit with a good habit (when you feel like biting your nails, try playing with a stress ball or silly putty instead)
- Identify your triggers (by figuring out what causes you to bite your nails, you can figure out how to avoid these situations)
- Try to gradually stop biting your nails (try to stop biting one set of nails and then proceed to eliminate others).
For all the latest Health News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
