One such habit that is common among many people is nail-biting, which, to people’s surprise, can affect their teeth significantly. Habitually biting one’s nails in a dental office in Lake Bluff professionals note that the action constantly exerts pressure on the teeth, thus causing them to wear out with time.
Due to this much pressure, they are vulnerable to decay, cracks, chips, or even other severe dental complications. Besides, the action of biting allows your teeth to be displaced from their positions and that is why, it may be challenging for you to have a perfect smile. This obviously points to the need to deal with this undesirable habit, and the following ones, which might cause these potential problems.
Why Should You Be Concerned About Nail Biting?:
Realizing the extent of complications that are related to nail biting can help you change and prevent this habit. Apart from the apparent dental consequences of that habit, nails, and fingers contain bacteria that get in the mouth when one is chewing on them. It could also lead to the formation of gingivitis and other infections which are related to the gums.
Nail biting also results in complications like bruxism which intensifies the pressure on your teeth and the muscles in your jaw. If these are things that you acknowledge, then you should know that it is for the improvement of your oral health that this habit should be stopped.
What Remedial Measures Can Be Employed to Check Nailed Biting?
It is very important to use the right measures to break the habit if you wish to guard your teeth from further damage. One practical advice that could be given is to have the nails cut as short as possible; thus, the person will have little or no nails left to bite on.
Another method of eradicating the habit of nail biting is by using nail polish with an awful taste so that the moment one bites their nails, a foul taste builds up in their mouth. Moreover, helping them find and solve other issues connected with stress/anxiety can be helpful. Mindfulness, stress management, or therapy from a professional are useful in dealing with the inclination to bite one’s nails.
How can you minimize the negative effects on your teeth when trying to break the habit?
When endeavoring to address nail-biting, the remainder is that the teeth have to be guarded against further harm. By identifying with dental guards, one can get a form of protection through physical barriers as a way of avoiding contact of the teeth with nails.
These guards that are normally employed in bruxism can be further modified to fit the patient’s dental profile by the dentist. Moreover, one should not forget about visiting a dentist, as one can discover signs of harm and get expert advice about oral care during this stage of transition at such visits.
In What Way Does Proper Oral Hygiene Help You?
It is essential to take good care of your oral hygiene to help in your bid to avoid damaging your teeth when nail biting. Rinsing with water, brushing your teeth with fluoride pastes at least twice a day, and flossing every day minimize the chances of the teeth getting damaged.
It may also help to use mouthwash commercially available and regularly as it assists in preventing the build-up of bacteria that comes with nail biting. Only proper oral hygiene enhances dental health, but it also regularly reminds the affiliation towards the protection of teeth while attempting to stop nail biting.
Conclusion
Treatment of nail biting is important in order to avoid the degradation of one’s teeth and the health of the oral cavity. This way, you will be able to prevent the negative effects of this habit, use strategies that will preserve your teeth’ health, and seek assistance from a specialist, if needed. This is further supplemented by proper oral hygiene as an additional means of protecting these structures and making sure that the smile is healthy.
