Think About Everything Our Fingers Touch
Part of my escape from onychophagia came with an increased knowledge of just how many germs reside on my hands and underneath my fingernails. After a day of riding public transportation, I barely want to touch myself, let alone put my hands anywhere near my mouth. The area under fingernails is host to dirt, food particles, germs, and a number of other gross items we probably never even consider. All of that is transferred into our mouths as soon as the nails go under our teeth. Just as it’s possible to get pink eye by rubbing your eye with a bacteria-laden finger, you can get sick by putting germy hands into your mouth.
Those who chew the sides of their nails risk infecting the area by opening the skin and letting in germs. The same goes for nail biters who accidentally tear skin with their teeth. Infections in fingers are quite painful and can spread to other areas if not properly treated. Being greeted with pain every time you try to bite your nail might help break the cycle, but it’s probably not the healthiest way to go about it.
Getting the Nail Biting Monkey off Our Backs
No need to break out the Tabasco (especially if you do have open skin near the nail)—there are multiple methods to keep our nails healthy and teeth mark-free.
- Keep nails short, neatly trimmed, and file them regularly
- Get a manicure (you’ll be less likely to mess them up if you paid to have them look so nice)
- Since nail biting is often a sub-conscious act, put something on your nails—Band-aids, stickers—to remind you that you’re about to bite them
- When temptation hits, reach for a stress ball or find some other way to keep your hands occupied (knitting, writing, etc.) until the feeling passes
- There are nail biting creams and polishes on the market that taste bitter and are meant to stop nail biting, but some believe they are less effective overall
- If nail biting is stress-induced, incorporate other forms of relaxation, such as yoga or deep breathing, into your life
- Hypnosis is sometimes utilized to make the person aware of the habit and find other ways to relax
For being such a strange, inexplicable way to deal with anxiety or tedium, nail biting maintains its position as the nervous habit of choice for many adolescents (and some adults who just can’t quit). Why we continue to pass this habit down through the generations remains unknown, but at least we know there are solutions, and that we’re not doomed to a life of raggedy nails (or tongues burned by Tabasco sauce).
