Nail biting is one of those habits that we tend to bring with us from childhood to adulthood. And it’s usually not one of our most enjoyable habits. Nail biting is often associated with poor hygiene, but there is not enough reputable evidence to support that association. But nail biting is often just plain annoying more than anything else — and if you’re reading this, you probably want to kick the habit once and for all.
Before we dive into the tips, let’s look at why we do this in the first place.
Why do we bite our nails?
Nail biting — also known as onychophagia — is a type of chronic and repetitive behavior where we bite and chew on our nail beds. This condition is most often found in children, but we can sometimes carry it with us into adulthood.
While there are many theories about why we bite our nails, there is not one specific reason that causes us to chew on our nails. But what we do know is that nail biting can be exacerbated by anxiety, psychological disorders like ADHD, and trauma. What causes nail biting will vary from person to person, so if you feel that your habits are doing more than just irritating you, it might be worth seeking professional help.
Is nail biting really that bad?
Biting your nails is more than just a gross habit. It can actually cause a variety of health problems that you will want to avoid.
When we repeatedly put our nails between our teeth, we create a lot of issues with our dental health. Chipped teeth, crooked teeth, and increased levels of bacteria in the mouth are just a few of the negative effects of biting your nails.
But the impacts don’t just stop there.
A nail biting habit can also make you get sick. It seems pretty obvious, but most of us aren’t thinking about that when we start to chew on a thumbnail. If we’re trying to self-soothe, the last thing on our minds will be thinking about the bacteria we’re transferring into our mouths.
Yet, we do need to think of the negative impacts of nail biting if we want to get rid of the habit. And recognizing that nail biting is actively harmful to our health is one of the best ways to do that.
If you don’t stop nail biting sooner rather than later, you might experience more severe impacts from the habit. Extreme cases of nail biting can sometimes result in ingrown nails, discoloration of nails, and the separation of nails from skin. There’s no need to panic over these potential side effects if you’re a nail biter. The good news is they can be avoided.
However, if you’re noticing that you are experiencing some of these effects, it might be time to contact your healthcare provider to discuss more serious treatment options.
How do we stop biting our nails?
If a threat to your health isn’t enough to help you stop biting your nails, we do have a few tips that might do the trick. When it comes to kicking bad habits, it’s best to consult the experts.
The American Academy of Dermatology recommends a few tried and true ways to help you give your nails a break from the relentless biting. Some are a bit more time-consuming than others, but all are good tactics to try out.
Here are a few of our favorite tips from their suggestions:
1. Think about what prompts you to start biting.
It’s hard to stop biting your nails if you don’t know why you do it in the first place. The process of identifying what makes you start biting your nails may be difficult, but it’s worth trying. Do you start biting when you’re nervous? Stressed about a project looming over you at work?
Try keeping a log (either on your phone or in a journal) of the times when you begin to bite your nails. It might help you figure out the root cause of the problem.
2. Don’t grow nails long: keep them short
Having long nails will only give you more surface area to bite. Try keeping your nails as close to the skin as you can stand and see if that helps you curb your habits.
3. Paint your nails with bad-tasting nail polish
If cutting your nails short isn’t doing the trick, try applying bad-tasting nail polish. No-bite nail polish helps you cut back on biting by making you associate the habit with a negative feeling: i.e., a bad taste.
This tip doesn’t work for everyone, but for many, it’s incredibly effective.
Other tips to help you stop nail biting
If those tips from the ADA aren’t working, you might want to try a few more unconventional methods to help you stop biting your nails.
1. Dip your nails in salt
The idea behind this tip is that the salt will act in a similar fashion to the poor-tasting nail polish. For some, the texture of the salt acts as a jarring sensation that will remind you to stop biting.
2. Replace the habit with something else
This tip will work best for those of us who bite our nails as a stress response. If your nail biting typically happens when you’re stressed or nervous, you might want to try replacing the habit with another thing.
Chewing gum is a great replacement that is more hygienic, less damaging to your teeth, and actually tastes good.
Not a gum chewer? Try sucking on a lollipop or hard candy instead.
The idea is that by replacing the negative habit with a more positive one, you can slowly retrain yourself to move away from biting your nails and toward something that’s a bit more pleasurable. That sounds like a win-win for us.
3. Think about what you’re putting in your mouth
Sometimes, giving yourself a case of the heebie-jeebies can be enough to kick a poor habit. Next time you try biting your nails, think about all of the bacteria you’ll be putting in your mouth, and all of the potential dental work you might need because of it.
If nothing else, the prospect of going to the dentist should be enough to scare you away from nail biting. The terrible experience and costly expense that comes with intense dental work should act as a strong warning to stop biting your nails.
What to do if you’re struggling to stop biting
Kicking a bad habit is hard to do for anyone, but especially for those of us who have been biting our nails for years.
If you’re struggling to stop biting your nails as an adult, you’re not alone. It’s important to remember that. Feeling alone in your struggles won’t help the problem, so try to reach out to friends or loved ones to find some support. Working to get out of bad habits will be much easier with people backing you.
Another thing to keep in mind when trying to stop biting your nails is to not get discouraged. The habit has likely been reinforced over the years, maybe even decades. Give yourself some room to breathe. You probably won’t stop biting your nails overnight. And that’s okay.
Lastly, keep in mind that quitting a habit like nail biting can be exhausting and frustrating. Be kind to yourself while you work through this issue, and allow yourself the space to feel the emotions that may come with kicking a bad habit.
Understand that stopping the habit will take time, compassion, and determination. If you know that, you’ll be one step closer to quitting once and for all.
Final thoughts
Quitting a years-long habit of biting your nails won’t be easy. You’ll have to actively take the steps to work toward healthier habits for yourself.
But trying out some of these tips to end nail biting is a fantastic start. If one trick doesn’t work for you, don’t get discouraged. You may find that more than one, or a combination of many anti-nail biting methods may work for you.
And remember, there is no shame in seeking out professional assistance to help you end your nail-biting habit.
So keep your head up and keep trying — the nail-biting will eventually end, and you’ll be much happier for it.
