| Nailbiting, a nasty habit
that affects up to 41 percent of children, could
eventually cost $4,000 or more in dental bills. In fact, the
threat of having to pay for all that dental damage may be
enough to nip your nail-nibbling routine.Nailbiting
can cause a lot of damage to the front teeth because
they're not meant to be in a constant chewing mode.
Nailbiting can cause a
variety of costly dental problems:
 | The edges of the front teeth can
chip or get worn down, or the enamel of the front
teeth can crack. The enamel wasn't created to withstand
the pressures of nailbiting, and the constant chewing
can cause fracture lines. If the damage becomes too
severe, a dentist will need to place composite
restorations to rebuild the enamel or perhaps even
crowns on the front teeth. |
| Nailbiters with braces are at a
particular risk for developing root resorption--or
shortening of their roots. As the teeth are already
withstanding the pressure of being moved by the braces,
the added force of constant nail-gnawing could cause the
roots of the teeth to shorten. The process takes a long
time, but if the root gets too short, the tooth can
eventually fall out of the socket. This would require
implants or bridges to repair the damage. |
| Traumatic ulcerations to the
gums can result. As the biter chews, a sharp point of
the nail can get imbedded in the gum tissue, which is
very destructive. In fact, some dentists believe this
may even signify a cry for attention or help because at
this point, the habit could be considered a form of
self-mutilation. |
| Infections and fungus can
spread from other body parts to the mouth and vice
versa. Bacteria in the mouth can infect the nail bed or
even the entire finger. In the worst case, the bacteria
can even find its way into the blood stream. Children
can scratch a body part infected with pinworms, then
bring the fingers and the pinworm bacteria to their
mouth, resulting in more infection. |
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