What to do about nail biting

The most important points in brief

• About 15% of all adults suffer from it
• Nail biting can also be done due to mental health problems
• Special tinctures can help with this
• Nail biting can be dangerous

Around 15% of all adult people do it: nail biting. What is not only unhygienic and unattractive is also dangerous for your health. In addition, we don't have to kid ourselves: Well-groomed nails simply give off a different appearance. So it can also be that, even in the worst case, you don't get a job because you have neglected nails, because this can sometimes be interpreted as a weakness of character.

Nail biting can be dangerous

Since bacteria and germs (e.g. salmonella) accumulate under the fingernails, chewing the nails can be dangerous. It can also lead to terrible infections of the nail bed. It is not entirely clear why nails are chewed. On the one hand, it can be a bad habit and, on the other hand, nail biting can be done for psychological reasons. Often the nails are chewed when there is nervousness or pressure, such as with worries and fears or important exams. In such situations, nail biting usually brings relaxation to those affected.

Tips on how to get rid of nail biting and what to do about it

• With a bitter tincture, which is put on the nails, nail biting can be stopped. Anyone who takes this between the teeth despite tincture on the nails will be punished for it. Because of the very unpleasant, bitter taste of the tincture, which then spreads in the mouth, the desire to bite your nails suddenly disappears. The tinctures are available in drugstores and pharmacies.
• Nail biting is no fun if there is nothing to chew on. Therefore, keep your fingernails as short as possible.
• Relaxation exercises or a so-called anti-stress ball can help that tension or nervousness cannot be overcome in the form of nail biting, but can be remedied in other ways.
• A professional manicure can help prevent rough cuticles from developing. Because the brittle cuticle creates cracks, which you want to chew off accordingly.

Getting to the bottom of the cause of nail biting

If you have been biting your nails regularly for a long time, we recommend investigating this cause. Because, as already mentioned at the beginning, it can be that there are psychological reasons or also obsessive-compulsive behavior that should be treated as soon as possible.