10 Horribly True Facts for Chronic Nail Biters

Nail biting is a disgusting habit. Unfortunately, a lot of people are addicted to chewing their nails down to the bed, leading to all sorts of vile and unspeakable conditions too terrible to contemplate.

If you are one of those nervous, anxious people with a nail biting compulsion, or if simply enjoy the taste of your nails, here are 11 scary things that can happen if you continue with your fixation:

#1. You ingest germs, fungus, and yeast…

Imagine the verdant garden of microflora growing underneath your nails, and imagine transferring those spores into your mouth. One type of germ in particular, the Staphlococcus aureus, can cause oral boils and abscesses in your gums. Ew.

#2. Diarrhea and stomach upset

Because of the germs and other nasty bugs hiding in your nails, bringing them into your mouth ups the risks of swallowing stomach flu bacteria like the Escherichia coli that will cause you to have wet bowels 76 percent of the time more than people who don’t have the nasty nail biting habit.

#3. Dental damage

Nail biters spend more on dental bills as the habit can lead to more cases tooth fracture, loosened teeth, tooth loss, and weirdly displaced jaws.

#4. Nail grinders are often tooth grinders, as well

If you’re a nail biter, chances are, you often unconsciously grind your teeth at night, particularly if you’ve been stressed out during the day. The dual bad habits will often cause your teeth to fall out from all the pervasive action.

#5. Woe times two for brace wearers

The damage is even worse for people who wear braces. Not only do they put their costly metal infrastructure at risk of warping and breakage, the repetitive nail biting action leads to root resorption, causing the gums themselves to eat away at the teeth, dissolving them, and creating a cannibal-like situation going on in your mouth!

#6. Gingivitis

The image tells the story. Enough said.

#7. And also skunk breath.

Thanks to all the germs, bacteria, fungi and yeast having a hell of a 24/7 party in your mouth, you can kiss your social life goodbye, halitosis mouth.

#8. Pus-infected nail beds

It isn’t only your teeth that’ll end up badly, your fingers will get the equivalent effect as the skin surrounding the nail bed inadvertently gets hit with collateral damage from the constant teeth picking action, resulting in miniature tears and punctures. These tiny wounds become infected with the Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, and result in acute infective paronychia, with the formation of open sores oozing yellow, foul-smelling pus that will need to be surgically drained.

#9. Herpes!

Biting your nails can give you oral STIs! This is especially true if your fingers have been seeing some nasty action elsewhere, and you bring them to your mouth before disinfecting them. Can you imagine Herpes simplex Type 2 virus sores rimming your kisser like the lip-liner from hell? Even worse? There is no cure!

#10. Nail loss. Forever.

Chronic nail biting may even lead to your nails not growing back again. Ever.

Are you thinking of kicking the habit?