How to Stop Biting Your Nails: 9 Tips That Can Help

Nail biting may appear to be an innocent activity, but if done frequently, it will prove to be quite challenging for you to overcome and may even have some unexpected consequences. Nail biting regularly will not only cause irritation in the skin area surrounding your fingers but will also put excessive stress on your teeth and jaw.

The good news? Breaking the habit doesn't have to mean relying on willpower alone. From recognizing what provokes the craving to finding useful methods to occupy yourself, there are various solutions that might work. Below is a list of 9 suggestions which can assist you in stopping biting your nails and keeping your smile intact.

1. Identify Your Nail-Biting Triggers

According to Healthline, nail biting is a type of body-focused repetitive behavior (BFRB) that can cause problems when it becomes excessive. It can happen for all kinds of reasons — stress, anxiety, frustration, intense concentration, or simply because it's a habit you've had for years and never quite kicked.

The first step to breaking the habit is figuring out what triggers it. The next time you catch yourself biting your nails, think about what was happening right before the urge kicked in. Once you know your triggers, you can choose a strategy that works best for you.

2. Keep Your Nails Short and Smooth

At other times, realizing how long your nails have become or noticing that there are some rough corners in your nails may lure you into biting them. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, trimming your nails is one of the effective ways of breaking the habit. Another trick is filing any rough corners or hangnails.

3. Try Bitter-Tasting Nail Polish

If you tend to bite your nails without even realizing it, a bitter-tasting nail polish might help. It leaves a bad taste on your nails, which prompts you to stop whenever you catch yourself doing so.

A small study found that bitter-tasting treatments helped improve nail length among people who bite their nails. While it may not work for everyone, it's worth trying if you need an extra reminder to break the habit.

4. Keep Your Hands Busy

One way of combating your habit of nail-biting is to occupy yourself with activities that will keep your hands busy. You can choose from such things as squeezing a stress ball, playing with a fidget spinner or drawing something with a pen whenever you have the urge to nibble on your nails.

And there's some research behind this approach, too. One study involving children and teens found that those who practiced playing with objects like toys and pencils showed improvements in their nail-biting habits. While the results are encouraging, more research is needed to know how well this strategy works for adults, too.

5. Create a Physical Barrier

At times, the simplest method of dealing with nail biting would be through making the activity difficult to perform. You should cover your nails with bandages or wear gloves that will prevent you from getting into contact with them during periods when you are most likely to bite your nails. These temporary barriers can help interrupt the habit and make you more aware of when you're about to bite.

You don't have to keep your nails covered forever. This can be seen as an additional reminder as you develop healthier practices to help you break the cycle.

6. Practice Stress-Management Techniques

Ever notice yourself biting your nails when you're stressed or anxious? You're not alone. WebMD notes that nail biting can be associated with feelings of stress and anxiety. If that's when the habit tends to show up for you, simple relaxation techniques may help take the edge off the urge.

The Cleveland Clinic also includes relaxation training as part of habit reversal training. This can involve simple techniques like deep breathing or relaxing your muscles to help manage stress and reduce the urge to bite your nails.

7. Reward Progress Instead of Expecting Perfection

It will take time to break your habit of biting your fingernails, so you should not expect yourself to break this bad habit immediately. You should make small and attainable goals, for example not biting your fingernails for several hours or a whole day, and monitor your progress. In case you relapse, do not blame yourself. Take note of what led you to biting your nails.

8. Protect Your Teeth From Nail-Biting Damage

Nail biting can affect more than just the appearance of your nails. Research has linked chronic nail biting to dental problems such as chipped or notched teeth, gum inflammation, and changes in tooth position.

Frequent nail biting may also affect your smile in other ways. If you're concerned about tooth discoloration or whether nail biting can affect your teeth after braces, these factors are worth discussing with your dentist. Breaking the habit can help reduce repeated stress on your teeth and protect your smile.

9. Consider Dental Protection

Nail biting is not the same as teeth grinding; however, it may be that you do both activities. If you have bruxism where you grind and clench your teeth at night, you can use a night guard to protect your teeth from being damaged due to the pressure. While it will not solve your nail biting problem, it will give added protection.

If nail biting leaves your jaw feeling tense, try these 7 Jaw Exercises for Bruxism to Relieve Jaw Tension & Discomfort to help relieve tension and discomfort.

Protect Your Smile While Breaking the Habit

Breaking your nail-biting habit takes time, patience, and consistent effort. If you also grind or clench your teeth at night, a night guard may help protect your smile from the effects of bruxism. ClearClub offers personalized night guards designed for a comfortable fit and protection against nighttime teeth grinding. Explore your options and find a guard that fits your needs.

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