Keratin is a hard, waterproof protein that makes up our nails. Some people, when they find themselves in situations of insecurity, stress and anxiety, develop the habit of biting their nails – a habit called onychophagia.
Under our nails are some dirt. When you put your hand to your mouth to bite your nails, these little dirties will end up inside our organism. Bacteria, fungi and even viruses are part of this dirt, which, once inside our body, can cause some infections such as a sore throat.
The habit of biting nails damages the teeth
The habit of biting nails damages the enamel of the teeth, leaving them unprotected and at the mercy of cavities. In children, the habit of biting nails can affect the development of teeth, causing dental malocclusion. Those who, besides biting nails still eat them, have the possibility of causing small lesions in the stomach and intestine.
Sometimes the person is so used to biting their nails that their fingers even bleed, getting very bruised, causing swelling, redness and increased sensitivity in that region, due to an infection caused by the removal of the nails and cuticles.
Nail biting hurts fingers and can cause infections
Underneath our cuticle is the nail matrix, ie where the nail is formed. As a person bites their nails, this matrix can become compromised, affecting the growth and shape of the nails.
With the habit of biting nails, hands and nails look bad, and sometimes the person feels very embarrassed. As the reason for biting nails is always emotional, the best thing to do is to identify where the fear, insecurity or anxiety is and deal with these feelings, so that this habit is forgotten.
Paula Louredo
Graduated in Biology
