{"id":20396,"date":"2024-01-16T13:24:43","date_gmt":"2024-01-16T12:24:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.clinicadentalgrossdentistas.com\/que-es-onicofagia\/"},"modified":"2025-06-13T15:50:32","modified_gmt":"2025-06-13T13:50:32","slug":"what-is-onychophagia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.clinicadentalgrossdentistas.com\/en\/what-is-onychophagia\/","title":{"rendered":"What is onychophagia?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Onychophagia<\/strong>, also known as nail biting, is a compulsive habit of repetitive\u00a0<strong>nail biting<\/strong>.\u00a0It is a very common habit, affecting people of all ages, but it is more common in children and adolescents.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this article, from our\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.clinicadentalgrossdentistas.com\/en\/\"><strong>dental clinic in Malaga and Torremolinos<\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0<strong>Gross Dentistas<\/strong>, we are going to see what onychophagia is, what its causes and consequences are, and how to treat it.<\/p>\n<h2>Causes of Onychophagia<\/h2>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The causes are not entirely clear, but they are thought to be related to\u00a0<strong>psychological factors<\/strong>, such as stress, anxiety, boredom or nervousness.\u00a0It can also be a\u00a0<strong>learned habit<\/strong>, which is acquired by imitating other family members or friends.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In some cases, it may be related to psychological disturbances, such as\u00a0<strong>obsessive-compulsive<\/strong>\u00a0disorder (OCD) or\u00a0<strong>generalized anxiety disorder<\/strong>\u00a0(GAD).<\/p>\n<h2>Consequences of onychophagia<\/h2>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Onychophagia can have a number of\u00a0<strong>negative<\/strong>\u00a0health\u00a0<strong>consequences<\/strong>, both physical and psychological.<\/p>\n<h3>Physical Consequences<\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The most common\u00a0<strong>physical consequences<\/strong>\u00a0are:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<li><strong>Enamel<\/strong>\u00a0wear:\u00a0Repeated nail biting can lead to wear away on tooth enamel.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.clinicadentalgrossdentistas.com\/caries-interproximales\/\"><strong>Cavities<\/strong><\/a>:\u00a0Nails can be contaminated with bacteria.\u00a0If these bacteria are introduced into the mouth, they can lead to cavities.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Infections<\/strong>:\u00a0Repeated biting of the nails can lead to wounds and therefore the entry of bacteria into the skin surrounding the nails.\u00a0These bacteria can cause infections, such as paronychia or toenails.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.clinicadentalgrossdentistas.com\/en\/habits-to-avoid-bad-breath\/\"><strong>Bad breath<\/strong><\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) abnormality: The TMJ<\/strong>\u00a0is the joint that connects the jaw to the skull.\u00a0Repeated nail biting can lead to TMJ strain, causing\u00a0<strong>pain and chewing problems<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Psychological consequences<\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The psychological consequences of onychophagia may include:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<li><strong>Anxiety<\/strong>:\u00a0If you feel like it&#8217;s affecting your life, it&#8217;s important to seek professional help.<\/li>\n<li>Low self-esteem:\u00a0It can lead to low\u00a0<strong>self-esteem<\/strong>, as damaged nails can be a source of\u00a0<strong>embarrassment.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Treatment of Onychophagia<\/h2>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Treatment depends on the\u00a0<strong>underlying cause<\/strong>.\u00a0If it&#8217;s caused by stress, anxiety, or\u00a0<strong>nervousness<\/strong>, treatment may include relaxation techniques, such as meditation or yoga.\u00a0It can also be helpful to seek support and positive reinforcement from family and friends.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In some cases,\u00a0<strong>professional treatment<\/strong>\u00a0may be necessary.\u00a0<strong>Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)\u00a0<\/strong>is an effective form of treatment.\u00a0CBT helps people identify and change the thoughts and behaviors that contribute to the habit.<\/p>\n<h3>Other treatment options include:<\/h3>\n<ul style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<li>Bitter nail polish:\u00a0<strong>Bitter nail polish<\/strong>\u00a0is a product that is applied to the nails to make them\u00a0<strong>unpleasant to taste<\/strong>.\u00a0This can help deter people from biting their nails.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Splints<\/strong>:\u00a0Splints are devices that are placed on the teeth to prevent people from biting their nails.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can also follow these tips to help you stop biting your nails:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<li><strong>Identify triggers<\/strong>:\u00a0When do you bite your nails?\u00a0Once you&#8217;ve identified your triggers, you can start developing strategies to avoid them.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Keep your nails short<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Keep your hands\u00a0<strong>busy<\/strong>:\u00a0When you feel the urge to bite your nails, find an alternative activity to occupy your hands, such as painting, playing an instrument, or knitting.<\/li>\n<li>Reward yourself for not biting your nails:\u00a0When you manage not to bite\u00a0<strong>your nails for<\/strong>\u00a0a period of time, reward yourself with something you enjoy.\u00a0This will help you stay motivated<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do you want to learn\u00a0<strong>more about<\/strong> this or any other issue related to our industry? We remind you that you can contact us.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our specialists will be happy to assist you!\u00a0Make an\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.clinicadentalgrossdentistas.com\/en\/appointment\/\"><strong>appointment.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Onychophagia, also known as nail biting, is a compulsive habit of repetitive\u00a0nail biting.\u00a0It is a very common habit, affecting people of all ages, but it is more common in children and adolescents. In this article, from our\u00a0dental clinic in Malaga and Torremolinos,\u00a0Gross Dentistas, we are going to see what onychophagia is, what its causes and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":36389,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_joinchat":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[988,1039,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20396","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dental-diseases","category-higiene-bucal-en","category-sin-categoria"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What is onychophagia? 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