The Damage You're Doing To Your Teeth By Biting Your Nails (And How To Stop For Good)

Almost everyone knows that biting nails is bad for one's teeth, but sometimes it's just hard to give up the habit. If you're the type to bite your nails, chances are you're doing quite a bit of damage to your teeth over time. Whether you've tried to stop in the past or never have, it's a good time to start considering putting a conscious effort towards giving it up. Here's why.

Chipping

One of the things you're likely doing to your teeth is slowly chipping away at them. This damage is barely noticeable to the naked eye at first, but if you're a habitual nail biter, the damage may already be recognizable.

Take a close look at your teeth. Do any of them have ragged, rough edges? Are there some that seem to end at an odd angle, instead of being straight across? Chances are these are teeth that have been damaged by your nail-biting.

The problem with nail-biting is that after you cut through the fingernail, your teeth slam together. Almost nothing is as strong as dental enamel, so when two pieces of it hit each other, they do equal amounts of damage. As a result, you can expect to see the upper and lower teeth get harmed by this habit.

Alignment

Another big problem that's caused by biting your nails is the alignment of your teeth gets screwed up. This is because you're biting down and putting pressure on typically just two to four teeth at a time, as most people's fingernails aren't large enough to cover more than 2 upper or lower teeth.

Every time you bite down, you put pressure on select teeth. Over time, this can force them out of alignment, making your teeth look crooked, crowded, or even twisted. Unfortunately, this problem, like chipping, can't be taken care of at home. You need professional help to repair the damage that's been done.

Invisible Braces

Would you believe that the help that you need is as close as your local orthodontist's office? Invisible braces are the solution that you're looking for.

Invisible braces are great for two big reasons. The first is obvious: they straighten teeth. Invisible braces do just as good a job of straightening teeth as traditional braces, and all without the unsightly appearance or the inability to eat certain foods.

However, the real brilliance of invisible braces is the purpose they serve in protecting your teeth. You can't bite your nails while you're wearing invisible braces, plain and simple. The rounded, soft plastic won't be able to transfer enough pressure to chew your fingernails, just like how you won't be able to eat any real food with your braces on. You take them off to eat, but you wear them the rest of the time, including when you sleep. This means that as long as you're wearing them, you won't be able to bite. Over the months of your treatment, you'll be able to break this habit and have a much easier time of keeping it up once you're done with invisible braces.

For more information, check with local orthodontists like Donald E. Snyder Orthodontics.