If you’re reading this, you probably bite your nails. Here are five excellent reasons why you shouldn’t bite your nails – ever! If you are anything like the way I was, you’ve probably never really understood why biting your nails is such a bad thing, outside of simply not looking very nice. While that is a major problem to some, there are plenty of less obvious ways that biting your nails is negatively impacting your life.
1. It can lead to infection. This is quite possibly the worst problem associated with nail-biting. When you bite your nails, especially hang nails, you are letting all the germs from your mouth to get under your skin, possibly even into the bloodstream. Suffice to say, it’s bad.
Secondly, consider all the posted signs we see at work and in every public restroom about “wash your hands before returning to work (or class).” The most common way germs, bacteria and viruses spread is through physically touching contaminated objects then touching your eyes or your lips or sticking your fingers into your mouth. Nail-biting is an invitation to spreading communicable disease.
2. It can harm your teeth. Your front teeth, the ones that are easiest to bite nails with, are designed for tearing and ripping, not for sustained chewing. As the keratin in your nails is one of the hardest substances in your body, sustained nail-biting can cause some serious damage to your teeth.
3. It can cause stomach problems. When you swallow your nails, in addition to being disgusting, you are basically swallowing tiny razor blades. The shards can tear your stomach lining, leading to many serious problems, including internal bleeding.
4. It can lead to high blood pressure. When you bite your nails, it’s because you’re stressed out. Nail biting does not help, but the problems that come with it, particularly comments about your appearance or lack of control, can increase your stress even further.
5. It looks bad. Let’s face it: This is what most people care about. Even if it’s slowly killing you, the appearance of being someone who bites their nails is the part that scares them. Few people take a nail biter as seriously as someone who doesn’t. Generally, chewing your nails is commonly seen by adults as a “childish habit” that you should have outgrown in your pre-teen years. If you did not outgrow such an obvious childish habit, other adults may begin wondering what other child-like habits you may still retain.
You probably bite your nails, or hold someone dear that does. These are 5 excellent and varied reasons why you shouldn’t bit your nails – ever! Kick the habit.
