We’ll help you to kick the habit easily

The medical name for nail biting is onychophagia.

It is most common among children and teenagers, who usually grow out of it. It can be mild and infrequent or serious and chronic.

Around 30% of children aged seven to ten bite their nails at least occasionally, usually when they are under stress or insecure. During adolescence, this percentage can increase to 40%.

What are the physical effects of nail biting?

• Nail biters can look unkempt and their hands look ugly.
• The dental enamel on the incisors can be weakened or damaged, because these are the teeth most affected by this habit.
• The constant pressure can cause problems with the jaw.
• The mucous membrane in the mouth can be injured and affected by minor infections, because the nails tend to be contaminated.
• Nail biters sometimes suffer from paronychia; a serious bacterial infection that enters damaged skin around the nail.

But don’t worry! It is possible to stop biting your nails and we have some tips to help you to do it.

How to stop chewing your nails

• Eat a balanced diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables and fewer processed foods. Toxic waste in your system not good for you and can cause itching, uneasiness and discomfort.
• Deal with hangnails, keep your nails quite short, and file them into shape to avoid jagged edges.
• Use a moisturising cream containing aloe vera and essential oils to nourish the skin.
• There are nail polishes with a nasty taste available for sale in pharmacies, which help to “persuade” you, or your child, not to chew your nails.
  A home remedy that is just as effective is aloe vera. Rub a piece on your nails. Although it is soothing and has anti-inflammatory properties, it also has a bitter taste.
• Think about the moments when you most often bite your nails. For example, while you watch TV, when you are waiting for the bus, when you argue, when you are studying… Think about when you don’t bite your nails, too… When you are writing, at football training, at work, when you are eating…. this will help you to avoid or change high-risk situations.
• It is more difficult to get children to stop, because they don’t understand why they should. That’s why it is important that the child is old enough to understand you. Explain calmly and give them an incentive that will help them to achieve their goal.
• Try this awareness exercise:
  Put a finger to your mouth without touching your lips. Hold it there for a few seconds with your mouth closed and then lower it again. Repeat several times.
  Then put your finger between your teeth and hold it there without biting your nail. Remove and repeat.
  If you manage to do this exercise successfully several times, you will teach your brain to overcome the temptation and reinforce your objectives. It will gradually become easier to resist.

Put in the effort and you’ll achieve it easily. If you have any questions, talk to your doctor.

This post is also available in: Spanish