09 Feb What’s the Harm in Biting Your Nails?
You might practice perfect dental hygiene and see your dentist regularly, but if you bite your nails, you’re still holding your oral health back. Biting your nails is bad for your teeth and your gums, and it can lead to health conditions that affect your overall wellbeing. Read on and find out what the harm is in biting your nails.
Wearing of Your Enamel
Your tooth enamel is tough, but so are your fingernails. You should be protecting your tooth enamel rather than putting it in danger, so avoid biting your nails. The forces between your tooth enamel and your fingernails will wear away at both sides, but unlike your nails, your tooth enamel won’t grow back. If the problem gets really bad, you’ll have to see your dentist for cosmetic dentistry treatments like veneers or dental crowns.
Damage to Soft Tissue
Biting your nails can damage other areas of the mouth in addition to your tooth enamel. Even though you’re not using your gums, tongue, or cheeks to bite your fingernails, all it takes is one slip up to damage your soft tissue. Long, sharp nails are particularly dangerous, and they can end up slicing your soft tissue by accident. This can cause bleeding, scarring, and other complications that impact your oral health, so try to kick the habit.
Spread of Bacteria
We’ve been encouraged to wash our hands regularly since we were children, and for good reason. Every time you touch just about anything, you pick up germs and spread bacteria. Biting your nails is a great way for these bacteria to end up in your mouth and ultimately cause many health problems, so it’s best to use the nail clipper.
If you’ve already damaged your teeth from biting your nails, call John Carson, DDS at (520) 514-7203 and see how cosmetic dentistry in Tucson can help. You can also visit our practice’s website to learn about our team and the services we provide.