Are you biting your nails? I have, matter of fact I have just recently stopped after about 21 years of doing so. Now not only did I bite my nails, but I also bit the skin surrounding my nails. It didn’t stop there, because I was also consuming everything that I bit off. Enough about me, I’m lucky enough not to have this problem any longer. I wish I could say the same for millions of Americans.
I came across some interesting information in regards to nail biting. If you are one out of many that are plagued by this addiction here are some things you will want to know. I always assumed that besides the appearance, there is not much more to nail biting. I was wrong.
A member of the American Board of Dermatology Richard Scher warns about the health issues that come along with biting your nails. For start, there are numerous harmful bacteria that hide beneath our nails, some of which are Salmonella and E. coli. Needless to say that with nail biting we are also consuming all the germs that we come into contact throughout the day. Stomach aches and diarrhea are most common side effects of biting dirty nails.
Another Dermatologist Chris Adigun has seen firsthand what the consequences can be. She has witnessed skin infections and people transferring hand warts to the parts of their faces, mainly around the lips. She claims that this is disturbingly common in her New York clinic. Who would have thought?
The main problem involves the teeth of those that bite their nails. Due to years of grinding, biting, filing and giving ourselves pedicures with our teeth, there is a significant wear and tear. I can attest to this, since all of my front teeth are so dulled down and some of them have actual loss of enamel due to 20 plus years of chowing.
Now I know that it’s not that easy to quit, I can’t even begin to explain why it is that I am not doing this no longer. I can say this much, it is believed that nail biting is somehow connected to some deeper Psychological issue and until this is resolved there will be no stopping, no matter how dire the repercussions are. This nasty habit will be truly gone once you find the initial cause and if you are unable to do this on your own, do not hesitate to look for some assistance.