HEALTH SPECIAL...Biting nails not just harms your teeth but could also cause diseases

Biting nails not just harms your teeth but could also cause diseases 

Don’t bite into that!

Riddhima, 11, never needs a nail cutter. The reason: She bites off her finger nails and, brace yourselves (this may seem rather impossible), also her toe nails! Jignesh, a 40-year-old man, underwent therapy to deal with compulsive nail-biting.

    These may seem one-off cases to you. But surprisingly, nail biting is an extremely common disease (age is no bar), that is taken lightly by everyone and is usually brushed off as a ‘bad habit’. In reality, it is much more than just that. Dr Karishma Jaradi, cosmetic dentist, states, “Up to 40% teenagers and 30% adults bite nails, according to studies. And unfortunately, studies also say that around 40% people damage their teeth due to it.”
    Nail biting, clinically known as Onychophagia, is an impulse control disorder, in which sufferers start biting their nails and the skin around the nails and cuticle, whenever they get anxious or nervous. For nail biters, the habit is a self-soothing action, a way to keep themselves alert and awake.
    Biting into your nails is not only detrimental to your oral health, but it is unhygienic as well. Dr Reshma Shah, preventive and pediatric dentist, says, “Bacteria and germs from your surroundings can enter through the oral cavity and infect you.”
    Also, the fact that nail biting might have an underlying psychological problem, is what makes it grave. Psychologist Seema Hingorrany says, “Nail-biting is like an obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) — it is a clear indication of deep-rooted anxiety, passive aggression. It needs psychological treatment.”
    Usually, problems like thumbsucking and lip biting can be dealt with relatively easily, with special appliances that dentists prescribe, but there is no such solution for nail biting. “There is an appliance for the mouth that has thorn-like projections. It deters a child from putting its thumb into the mouth, because it pricks. Plaster bandages are used if a child has a tendency to put one finger in its mouth. But unfortunately, there is nothing like that to treat nail biting.”
What is the connection between nail-biting and damaged teeth? Dr Jaradi says, “Your dentist may have advised you to avoid chewing on hard nuts and ice cubes as it may chip your teeth. The same warning
applies to nail biters. Nails are hard. So, when you bite, you cause excess stress to your teeth. Over time, this weakens them and can eventually result in a
tooth chipping or breaking.”
    Nail biting, say experts, can permanently damage your nails, gums and teeth. In the long run, it will cause gum disease, loose teeth, missing teeth and other ailments, warns Dr Jaradi. Dr Shah says, “Nail biting may cause teeth to become
crooked and irregular.”
    If nail biting has already caused damage to your teeth, apart from getting professional help to stop the habit, you need to see a dentist to reverse the damage. Dr Jaradi says, “There are many treatments depending on the severity, such as, bonding, veneers or crowns. However, when it gets to the extent where your teeth are sensitive and getting looser, a gum specialist needs to assess the condition.”
HARMFUL EFFECTS Can cause diseases
Nails carry visible and invisible dirt that clings on even after a wash. Doctors say this could cause various illnesses.
Can cause misaligned teeth
Chewing hard objects like nails can wear the teeth down. They put stress on the teeth, leading to misalignment.
Can harm braces
“If you have braces, you know how much pressure is placed on your teeth. If you want to add to this pressure, biting your nails is a great idea. This will stress your teeth out and weaken them, harming your orthodontic treatment and your bite,” says Jaradi.
COMBAT NAIL-BITING
To stay away from the habit and to ensure that the smile is not affected, one can try alternate techniques.
    Dr Jaradi advises, “Pop in a sugarfree chewing gum as it will keep you away from the habit of nail biting.”
    Dr Shah says, “Almost 90% kids stop nail-biting after a pep-talk. Girls comply when they are asked to grow nails just for nail art. For younger children, nibble inhibitors or bitter solutions applied on the nails, works.” But, while some kids adapt to nail inhibitors, some wash them off.
    Seema says, “I have had people aged 22 and even 46, who have come to me for treatment for nail biting. The first step to deal with such patients is to create awareness, as most people bite nails subconsciously. We keep a record to determine when and why they indulge in this behaviour. And then, specific treatment for OCD or depression etc. begins. Clichéd though it may sound, most of the time, relaxing exercises, breathing exercises and meditation work.” CELEBS RUMOURED TO BE NAILBITERS
Eva Mendez Lindsay Lohan Britney Spears Princess Diana Saurav Ganguly
COMMON REASONS FOR NAIL BITING
Stress Boredom Nervousness Frustration Loneliness Depression Anxiety Hereditary
THERE ARE APPLIANCES TO TREAT THUMB SUCKING, LIP BITING, FINGER-IN-THE-MOUTH BUT THERE ARE NO APPLIANCES TO TREAT NAIL BITING
    Dr Reshma Shah,     Preventive and pediatric dentist

Debarati S Sen BT121116