Most people know that biting their nails is bad for their teeth, their oral health, and can make teeth appear crooked. But what about pain? If you're a regular nail biter, you should know that yes, nail biting can cause your teeth to hurt. This guide will explain why it happens and what you can do about it.
Above and Below
As stated, most people know that biting their nails can make their teeth crooked. But oftentimes, people only think about the surface of the teeth, or what you can visually see, and not the lower part.
You see, beneath the surface of your gums every tooth extends much further than you might expect. Teeth are larger than they appear on the surface, and the entire root is hidden under your gums.
What this means for your tooth pain problem is that when the visible part of your teeth start to drift and become overcrowded, it's going on underneath the surface, too. Teeth can literally collide with each other under the gums (and above them) and cause pain as a result. This is especially dangerous for the hidden part of the tooth, however. The part of your tooth that's kept safe under your gums lacks tooth enamel, the hard outer shell of the tooth. So essentially, if your teeth are rubbing each other or are shoved up against each other under your gums, the soft pulp is being damaged and your nerves are likely sending a pain signal as a result.
What to Do About It
There's no easy solution for getting over biting your nails. It's a hard habit to break, but it can be done, especially if you remind yourself about what you're doing to your teeth every time you start to do it.
Of course, giving up biting your nails isn't going to make the pain stop, necessarily. Instead, you're going to need help from a professional in the form of an orthodontist.
Orthodontists are the specialized type of dentist that can give people braces and retainers. Through dental braces, you can gradually shift your teeth back to their proper positions where they'll no longer be pushing or rubbing on each other. This should start to provide you with some relief from your discomfort very quickly.