Braces and Nail Biting - Break the Habit

What are the reasons of nail biting?

Why braces and nail biting can not go together?

What are different ways of taking off the habit of nail-biting?

Nail biting or Onychophagia is a widespread habit found in people of all ages normally done unconsciously. It is a bad habit found mostly among children and occurs due to multiple reasons. Different reasons for nail biting are relieving tension or anxiety, loneliness, imitation of other people\'s habit, heredity, inactivity, transference from thumb sucking habits, poorly manicured nails and out of sheer habit. The degree of harm to the braces is determined by the kind of bite for which the person undergoes treatment, though some person find it difficult to continue the habit while wearing braces.

Braces and nail biting – break the habit . The habit of nail biting is harmful to the person wearing braces owing to different reasons:

• American Dental Association remarks that people biting nails can crack, chip or wear down enamel of front teeth due to strain caused by nail biting. It develops malocclusions of anterior teeth.
• This habit can cause brackets of the braces to break
• Apical Root resorption of teeth (roots gradually shorten leading to tooth loss over a period of time).
• Forward thrust of the jaw delays the treatment process.
• Unwanted force and bite allows misaligning of teeth and not getting the desired result due to intake of bacterial deposition on unclean nails. Unhygienic bacterial intake in blood stream causes multiple hazards for health.
• Harm to gums due to torn, rugged or sharp nails.

Ways of quitting the habit of nail biting:

• Try finding replacement habits – chewing sugar free gums or keeping the hands busy. Relaxation techniques like meditation and stretches helps in discharging nervous energies.
• Keep the hands manicured. Polished nails are nasty in taste thus daunt the habit. Putting attention grabbing colors acts as reminder of the pledge.
• Putting on nail hardeners or gloves to distract attention from biting hard nails.
• Share this bad habit with the people who were earlier habituated. It helps in relieving unwanted energy and reminding the mind of the habit to be removed. Reminders help in getting the pledge of not biting nails in unconscious mind.