Learn More

 

Biting Your Nails: What You Need to Know

Why Do People Bite Their Nails?
Nail biting, or onychophagia, is common, affecting up to 30% of people. Many start as children, often after age 3 or 4. While some outgrow it, others transition from habits like thumb-sucking. Nail biting may also begin in adolescence or adulthood and, in some cases, result from medication side effects.

This habit often arises as a coping mechanism for stress, boredom, loneliness, or hunger. It’s also linked to psychological conditions like:

  • Anxiety
  • ADHD
  • Separation anxiety
  • Tic disorders
  • Bed-wetting (enuresis)
  • Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)

Severe nail biting, classified as a Body-Focused Repetitive Behavior (BFRB), is related to obsessive-compulsive disorders. People with BFRB may also engage in skin picking or hair pulling, often influenced by genetic tendencies.

Why Is Nail Biting Harmful?
Once the habit forms, it’s tough to break and can lead to issues such as:

  • Dental damage (misalignment, chipped teeth)
  • Fungal infections in the nails
  • Illness from bacteria transfer
  • Jaw pain and mouth injuries
  • Skin infections
  • Finger, nail, and cuticle damage

While long-term harm is rare, swallowing bitten nails or bacteria can cause digestive infections.

Crooked Teeth

Nail biting can cause teeth to move, leading to gaps and a misalignment of the upper and lower teeth.

Chipped/Eroded Teeth

Biting nails creates friction between the tooth and the nail that can cause your teeth to erode over time, which can lead to other serious problems down the road like gingivitis.

Cosmetic Problems

Nail biting can damage cuticles, shorten and damage nails, and cause hangnails and bleeding.

Diseases

Constantly bringing your nails into your mouth can bring E. coli, salmonella and the germs that cause the common cold as well as a plethora of others that may cause you to get sick.