Dentist issues warning to people who bite their nails as he reveals how it can ruin your teeth

A cosmetic dentist on Tiktok has revealed how a common regular habit can lead to tooth damage and hygiene issues. 

Dr. Stewart (@drstewartbeggs) is an award-winning cosmetic dentist who works at the Chelsea Dental Clinic in West London.  

He advises his 2000 followers on TikTok on how to care for their teeth – whether it’s medically or aesthetically. 

The dentist posts content – amassing thousands of views – ranging from remedies for bad breath, to recommending which high street dental products to avoid, and veneer and crown advice. 

In a recent video he revealed why you should avoid biting your nails, in a clip captioned: ‘Don’t ever do this one thing if you want great teeth.’

Dr Stewart revealed in the 16 second video that nail biting can lead to damaged teeth. 

‘Avoid this one thing because it is so bad, and that is biting fingernails. It causes your teeth to chip and break,’ he said. 

According to Psychology Today, nail biting – or onychophagia – is quite common in adults, with 20 to 30 percent of the population estimated to have picked up the habit. 

Children and adolescents are most prone to nail-biting, with some estimates suggesting that almost 40 percent of children and nearly half of teenagers bite their nails.  

The influential dentist continued to share another reason why the habit can lead to further issues. 

He said: ‘Also there are so many bacteria underneath your fingernails. It’s a bit disgusting, so don’t do that please.’

Dr. Stewart then ended the video by saying: ‘Do you bite your fingernails? Please stop.’

The clip, which has had almost 1,400 views since its upload, prompted one viewer to defend the bad habit. 

A lone commenter on the TikTok video challenged the dentist’s advice on the negative effects of biting fingernails 

The commenter challenged: ‘They actually say biting your finger nails can improve immunity, and that’s a fact.’

It just so happens that the TikTok critic’s statement is not far off from the truth. 

Scientists discovered in 2016 that children who sucked their thumbs or bit their nails were more than a fifth less likely to have allergies as adults. 

It’s a dilemma faced by millions of parents worldwide – how to stop their children sucking their thumb.

But researchers have found that the habit may bring unexpected health benefits – and the same is true for nail biting.

The discovery may help allay parents’ fears if they are really struggling to wean children off the habits, according to the team from the University of Otaga in New Zealand. 

Researchers believe these children ingested the bacteria living under their nails which strengthened their immune system, making them less susceptible to allergies.

Professor Hancox said: ‘The findings support the “hygiene hypothesis”, which suggests that being exposed to microbes reduces your risk of developing allergies.

Stephanie Lynch, a medical student who was also involved in the project said: ‘They ingest the bacteria living under their nails and as it goes through it may influence the immune system into working in a different way.

‘That builds an immune response, making them less susceptible to allergies.’