Many people bite nails when they are anxious or stressed. However, knowing its harmful effects will only increase their anxiety and stress. About 30% of children, 45% of teenagers and 25% of young adults have the habit of biting their nails. Nail biting is one habit which sets in due to various reasons and just continues due to nervousness, boredom, frustration or stress. People tend to unconsciously bite their nails and over a period of time, it becomes very difficult to get rid of the habit.

A good understanding of the harmful effects of biting nails, to the overall health and oral health, can be a good starting point to quitting the habit. The harmful effects of nail biting on oral health effects are listed below:

Source of infection: The fingernails are more difficult to clean than the fingers and the rest of the hand. Therefore, there is a good amount of bacteria residing there, which get into your mouth and your stomach when you bite nails. The next time you wonder why your stomach is upset, take a good look at your nails.
Tooth chipping: The enamel is thinnest at the tip of the front teeth. When biting nails, there is a constant pressure on this thin enamel which can chip after a certain point of time. Another way that a tooth chips is because of the pressure when biting a nail. The tooth can hit hard on the opposing tooth, leading to a fracture or chipping.
Altered shape of the teeth: In many cases, the front teeth appear worn off or are squared. This is because there is always pressure on the teeth from the nails.
Induce gap between the front teeth: When nail biting continues for years at a stretch, the two front teeth can develop a gap between them.
Tooth sensitivity: With the enamel wearing off, the dentin is exposed and this can cause tooth sensitivity in many people.
Joint problems: The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) near the ears helps in opening and closing the mouth. Constant pressure on the joint due to nail biting leads to inflammation of the joint which can cause ear ache, headaches, improper closing of the jaw and clicking sounds.
Delay treatment with braces: A person with braces with a nail biting habit will have very bad consequences. There is pressure from both the braces and the biting. This could also lead to the failure to correct the misaligned teeth.
How to manage this habit?

Identify the root cause of the habit
Identify alternate ways to manage stress (exercise, yoga, hobby, etc.)
A nail polish that has a bitter or offensive taste or smell
Well manicured and painted nails, which you won t feel like biting
Get family and friends to remind or chide you, whichever works.

Nailbiting - 7 Harmful Effects of it!

Fungal infection in the nails is caused by an overgrowth of fungi in your nails. When the growth of fungus happens on the fingernails or toenails, it is known as onychomycosis or tinea unguium. Here are the probable causes of why you might get a fungal nail infection:

1. Diabetes
2. Problems in your circulatory system
3. Age
4. Artificial nails
5. Swimming in public pools
6. Nail injuries
7. Skin injuries surrounding the nail
8. Fingers or toes, which have been moist for an extended period of time
9. Immune system problems
10. Wearing shoes which have enclosed toes

It is also worth noting that fungal infections happen much more frequently in your toenail as compared to your fingernails, this is because of two main reasons. Firstly, that the fungi can grow very easily on your toenails because of the position as your shoes are dark, warm and moist and therefore, perfect for the growth of fungi.

The second reason for more fungal infections on your toenails as compared to your fingernails is because toes have less blood flow than fingers, thus making it harder for the immune system to fight off the infection.

Fungal infections in your nails are one of the easier infections to diagnose. This is because there are several symptoms which indicate you have this condition. 

Here are some of those symptoms:
1. Scaling underneath your skin
2. White or yellow streaks on your nails
3. Corners of the nail may crumble
4. Flaky surface of the nail
5. Yellow spots at the bottom of the nails
6. Loss of nail
7. A nail breaking off from the rest of the nail
8. An odor from the nail
9. Brittle or thick nails



Causes and Symptoms of Fungal Nail Infection

Nails are an important part of your physiology, although they are mostly used for either utilitarian purposes such as gripping or for beauty purposes such as nail decorations. Nails themselves can go through infections which need not have underlying causes and thus can cause damage to that part of the tissue. One such disorder of the nail is onycholysis.

What is onycholysis?
This is a disorder where the nail on the finger or the toes starts to separate from the skin below. This happens little by little and usually starts at the tip and then progresses backward. The further back it progresses, the more nail tissue it destroys. While the entire nail may not be detached from the nail bed, parts of it may chip off, showing the tissue underneath.

Symptoms of Onycholysis:

Jagged border between the pink flesh of the nail bed and the yellow edge of the nail
Detached nails become opaque, yellow or may turn green in color
Nail may become irregular in shape and size
Bits and chunks of nails can break off easily
Primary Causes for Onycholysis:

Frequent trauma - If you have a profession or work at home where you constantly require tapping away, it might cause minute injuries to build up within the nails and the fingers. Tapping on keyboards is one area where you could get repetitive trauma like this.
Manicure problems - Many salons may aggressively try to clean the underside of the nails and in the process, slowly dislodge the nail form the nail bed and cause onycholysis. This has known to be the case with many people.
Water immersion - If you have work where your nails are immersed in water for long periods of time, this could also affect the development of onycholysis.
Skin diseases - Certain skin conditions can also end up giving onycholysis. Psoriasis and contact dermatitis are other conditions that may lead to onycholysis as a consequence.
Allergy to nail glue - Many makeup artists and customers have complained that certain brands of nail glue can also cause allergies resulting in onycholysis.
Medications - Medications meant for the treatment of other ailments within the body can have the unintended consequences of causing onycholysis.
Treatment:
The underlying problems need to be corrected which may cause onycholysis. Once the underlying problem is corrected, onycholysis usually corrects itself. The nail may take some time to re-grow but will grow back on its own eventually and may take 4 to 6 months to cover the entire affected area again.

Onycholysis - How It Can Affect Your Nails?

Your skin is the largest and most sensitive organ of your body. Funguses that live in the human body especially armpits, groin area, nails, and feet, cause fungal skin infections. Weak immunity is the leading cause, with over 300 million people fighting fungal infections globally, every year.

Some of the common types of fungal skin infections are-

  Athlete s foot- Also known as Tenia pedis, Athlete s foot occurs when the tenia fungus begins to grow on your feet. It is most commonly associated with athletes because it grows in warm and moist climates such as in socks, near swimming pools and in locker rooms.

Symptoms of athlete s foot  

Infected area becomes soft and layers of skin begin to peel off
Redness, blisters, and cracking of skin
Treatment includes applying of topical antifungal ointments such as terbinafine while, severe cases may require oral medication.

  Ringworm   Ringworm is a highly contagious skin infection and is spread by person-to-person or pet to person contact. The fungus can also spread through infected towel, clothes, and mud.

Symptoms of Ringworm  

Red itchy patches on the skin which develop into raised ring like bumps
Formation of scales on the patches
Treatment of the infection includes medicines like miconazole.

  Jock  s itch- Also known as Tinea Cruris, these fungi thrive in moist and warm areas of the body such as the groin, inner thighs and buttocks.

Symptoms of Jock s itch  

Itchy red circular rashes over the body and burning
Chafing and peeling of the infected area
Treatment includes prescribed medication and maintaining personal hygiene.

Prevention is better than cure when it comes to fungal infections. Visit a doctor at the first signs of infection. A medical exam is the best way to detect the cause of a skin infection.

Fungal Infection Of Skin And Its Treatment!

Toenail fungus is a medical condition that begins as a yellow or white coloured spot under the tip of your toenail but goes on to discolour, thicken and crumble your toenail as the infection grows. If left untreated, the condition can go on from being mild to severely painful. Here are some sure-shot ways that can help you to get rid of your toenail fungus.

Non-surgical methods

1. Oral anti-fungal medications

Such drugs not only replace the infected part in the old nails but also help new nails to grow free from infection. The treatment may be time-consuming but it is definitely reliable. Oral anti-fungal drugs when combined with topical anti-fungal therapies serve to solve your ailment in the best possible manner.

2. Medicated nail polish

Anti-fungal nail polish is another non-surgical medical treatment for toenail fungus. It can be applied and re-applied on the infected nail at regular intervals.

3. Medicated nail cream

Topical anti-fungal creams prescribed by the doctor can be used to get rid of toenail fungus. It works best on thin nails.

Surgical treatment

1. Nail removal

Severe and painful toenail fungus can be best treated by removing the infected nail altogether. A new nail naturally and gradually grows in its place.


How to Rid Yourself of Toenail Fungus?

Nail fungus is a fungal infection that develops under the tip of the toenail or the fingernail. It has a whitish or yellowish appearance and as the condition progresses, it causes the affected area of the nail to thicken, discolor and crumble at the edges. Usually this condition does not require any treatment, but if it turns severe, then you may require treatment to limit it from spreading.

The symptoms of this disorder are:
1. The affected nail thickens
2. There can be distortion in the shape of the nail
3. The nail can become crumbly and ragged
4. Discolored nails that lose its natural shine
5. Accumulation of debris on the nail
The infected nail may also be separated from the nail bed, causing pain and a foul odor.

Causes
The condition is usually caused by the dermatophyte fungus. In some cases, molds and yeasts can also cause fungal infections. Fungi are microscopic organisms that have certain characteristics such as:
1. They can cause complications if your nails are often exposed to moist and warm conditions
2. They usually thrive in moist and warm conditions such as showers and swimming pools

3. These fungi get into the skin through small cuts on your skin

The fungus usually affects toenails because, when you wear shoes, a warm and moist environment is created which is the perfect breeding spot for the fungus. The factors that can increase your chances of getting affected by this fungal infection are

1. Heavy perspiration
2. Athlete s foot (a condition which is characterized by rashes between the toenails)
3. Older people are affected more as blood circulation is reduced
4. Wearing socks for extended periods of time creates warm and a humid condition for the fungi to grow
5. Certain medical conditions such as diabetes

Treatments
There are certain medications that are used to treat fungal infections:

Oral anti fungal drugs: These medications help in getting rid of fungal infections.
Nail creams: There are certain anti fungal nail creams available that you can apply on your nails to get rid of this condition.

Nail Fungus - Understanding the Causes and Symptoms

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