It generally indicates some kind of mental or emotional upheaval. Clinically it is known as chronic onychophagia. A breakdown of its prevalence reveals that nail biting is the maximum in adolescents (over 40%) then in children from seven to ten years (over 30%). More than 25% of the teenagers are habituated to nail biting and more than 5% of the adults also show nail biting tendencies.
The biggest problem with nail biting is the threat of infection. Germs that might be in your nails might get transferred to your mouth. It is similar to what happens in nail salons. When tools like files are used on different people it might lead to spread of nail fungi, viruses or staph bacteria. And when you bite your nails, you invite the germs into your body.
It is also seen that even cuticles and skin around the nails also get bitten in case of compulsive nail biting. With broken skins, the chances of microbial infections increase manifold. There are other negative aspects of nail biting. It might lead to restraints where use of hands is concerned. Tasks like writing, drawing, typing, driving or playing stringed instruments could be hampered. It might be because of the damage to the fingers or due to the nail biting person trying to avoid showing the appearance of his nails. What is more, prolonged nail biting could also result in substantia adamantinea of the front teeth which could lead to caries.
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