If you are reading this post then probably are a nail biter. It is a difficult habit to break and one that can be harmful to your health.

There are several reasons why nail-biters continue their behaviors, and it can be more that just a matter of will-power.

Self-Soothing: When stressed, many people feel a need for self-soothing and find they feel better when they bite their nails. It has a sort of calming effect on their nervous systems and reduces levels of stimulation.

Stimulation: On the other hand, when people are bored or inactive, nail-biting may provide a needed level of stimulation for the nervous system. It may help keep a person alert or awake when they would otherwise become bored or distracted.

Perfectionism: Nail-biters may spend hours examining their nails or fingers for the tiniest irregularity and then try to fix it, in hopes of achieving an improved appearance. Paradoxically, the nail-biting always ends up with the nails looking much worse in spite of their efforts.

Nail biting is not only a bad habit, it is bad for your health! Here are 10 horrifying facts that will help you stop biting your nails…

1. There are all kinds of deeply wretched germs crawling under your fingernails.

Fingernails can house various types of bacteria and fungus. One particularly prevalent germ found under nails is Staphlococcus aureus, which can cause a load of crazy skin infections like boils and abscesses.

2. The more you suck and chew on your fingernails, the more they become an even greater bacterial paradise.

Back in 2007, Turkish scientists tested 59 people to see whether nail biting had any real effect on transporting bacteria to the mouth. They swabbed each person’s mouth for saliva to check for diarrhoea and vomiting bacteria such as Escherichia coli. And guess what? Seventy-six per cent of those who bit their nails tested positive, compared to just 26.5% of non-biters.

3. If you bite your nails, chances are that you’re already causing dental damage.

In real hardcore cases, nail biting has resulted in tooth fractures, tooth loss, and even jaw displacement.

4. You’re more likely to grind your teeth at night.

Many people bite their nails due to a nervous reaction, so chances are that you’re also grinding your teeth at night. “Those who bite their teeth are often stressed”, said Dr Adam Roberts, senior lecturer at UCL’s department of microbial diseases, “so may have other factors that affect their teeth such as grinding.”
If you already have weak teeth, continually tearing off bits of nail with your front teeth could lead to dental chipping and even tooth loss!

5. Nail biting can cause a ton of damage to your gums…

One particularly case study mentioned in a report by Dr Carlene B. Krejci mentioned a kid who suffered from gingival (gum) swelling under one of his teeth after years of biting his nails. It turns out, there were six fingernails fragments under his tooth!

6. Nail polish is essentially poison and should not be chewed…

Most nail polish contains formaldehyde – the stuff they use to embalm dead bodies.

7. Your fingertips can get infected…

Nail biting can cause you to have acute infective paronychia. It’s caused by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria getting into small, open sores, and results in pools of pus forming around the nail. Basically, it’s like finger herpes, which is actually caused by the cold sore virus.

8. Nail biting can even lead to ORAL STIs.

This terrible habit can even give you herpes! It’s extremely rare, but there have been reportss where STIs have resulted in oral lesions (lip blisters) thanks to a transference of bacteria from finger to mouth.

9. Your nails might NEVER GROW BACK!

Chronic nail biting can damage the nail bed, which, when exposed, leads to the irreversible shortening of nails. In other words, biting far enough down the nail bed means that no nail can latch on in future and so nails remain as stumps forever.

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