Nail biting: the most effective methods of quitting

It is a bad habit especially caused by stress, but nail biting can cause nail health problems and teeth and gums. Here are some remedies to quit!

Onychophagy, the action of nail biting, can be caused by nervousness, stress , low self-esteem or childhood trauma. This problem can lead to a bad response not only from an aesthetic point of view, but also for health. In fact, the nails carry bacteria, germs and viruses and, biting them, can damage the teeth and gums. Quitting can be complicated, as it is a real psychological vice . But with a few simple remedies we can eliminate the current problem.

How not to bite your nails

When we are at home, we can resort to using the patches. So let’s place them on our nails, so it will be impossible to get in touch with them. Obviously, every time the patches get wet, we have to replace them with new ones.

Another natural remedy can be aloe. The aloe vera plant, in addition to having countless benefits, has a bad taste. For this reason if we go to rub a leaf on the nails, the bitter taste will remain on the hands and will allow us to keep them away from our mouth. If we don’t have a plant at home, we can simply use a garlic clove or a little onion .

If the season is cold, an excellent remedy for not putting nails and mouth in contact is to divide them by gloves .

In addition to following these effective and natural remedies, it is essential to arm yourself with willpower and patience . We learn to self-control and manage the situation every time it occurs. A very effective but less economical remedy is to resort to nail art . A little gel is enough to give our hands a pleasant look and above all to stop once and for all to eat our nails and ruin them more and more!

Another idea, however, could be to take care of our nails and perhaps set ourselves the goal of making them become very long . Natural long nails take time and effort, but having a challenge of this type could distract us from the intent to eat them, and therefore, to ruin them !

Why you shouldn’t bite your nails: damage and risk

Still not convinced? Well, then we are sure that soon you will be. Because if your willpower is not enough, then perhaps it might be useful to know the reasons why eating nails can be a source of damage and risks that could very well be avoided.

First of all, keep in mind that under the nails there are bacteria and dirt , and that every time you eat them, you are bringing them directly to your mouth: in short, not really a great thing!

But in addition to a hygienic factor , this can also lead to damage to teeth and gums, be carriers of orally transmitted diseases and, in chronic cases, permanently damage the nail bed , stopping the growth of nails forever!

Cover photo source: https://pixabay.com/it/mano-dito-anelli-amore-1595547/