Nail biting
Nail biting is the habit of biting one's fingernails or toenails during periods of nervousness, stress or boredom. It can also be a sign of mental or emotional disorder. The clinical name for nail biting is chronic onychophagia.
It occurs in:
- 28% to 33% of children ages 7-10 years old,
- 44% of adolescents,
- 19% to 29% of young adults and
- 5% of older adults
It is more common in boys.
Nail biting is, according to Fruedian theory, a symptom of oral fixation.
It is considered to be a mildly embarrassing habit in some cultures.
It does not break the taboo of cannibalism against eating parts of the human body.
Health effects
Biting the nails can result in the transportation of germs that are buried under the surface of the nail into the mouth. In fact, nail salons use tools that potentially affect a human in a similar way. “If they (nail tools such as files) are used on different people, these tools may spread nail fungi, staph bacteria or viruses,” warns Rick Lopes, a spokesperson for the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. In fact, over 100 bacterial skin infections in 2000 were traced to footbaths in nail salons. Thus, one can see that many pathogens have the ability to "live" inside of a nail, and because of this biting the nails can potentially cause health issues.
Breaking the habit
There are some physical remedies for nail biting, such as coating the nails with a bad-tasting substance (sometimes in the form of a special nail polish). Other ways of stopping nail biting include making the biter aware of their actions and finding other things to do. Keeping a record of when one bites may also be helpful in finding the root of the problem.
Some nail biters who undergo orthodontic treatment find that wearing a retainer or a bite plate makes it impossible for them to sever their nails with their teeth. This can have the unintentional side-effect of helping the individual to overcome their nail-biting habit.
Some nail-biters, however, find the effectivness of these remedies to be poor. For them, it may take sheer determination to break the habit. Tactics they may find helpful include making a mental note to stop, promising oneself not to bite, and making it a New Year's resolution to stop.
Hypnotherapy may also help in breaking the habit.
Like other nervous habits, nail biting is sometimes a symptom of an emotional problem. In these cases, resolving the underlying problem can help to lessen or eliminate the nail-biting habit.