Menopause Matters Forum

Menopause Discussion => Other Health Discussion => Topic started by: Countrygirl on March 22, 2019, 11:50:26 AM

Title: I need to stop nail biting, any hints or tips
Post by: Countrygirl on March 22, 2019, 11:50:26 AM
My teeth have been damaged from grinding over night from stress and anxiety so am now wearing a night guard overnight to protect them from anymore damage, but nail biting was brought up as being really damaging and I've done it all my life.

So I've managed 3 days so far but know this needs to be long term thing if I wish to still have my own front teeth in years to come.

Have any of you lovely ladies managed to stop even when suffering from anxiety, luckily the guard is making my teeth ache so I'm not tempted as much as it hurts, but I know this won't last x
Title: Re: I need to stop nail biting, any hints or tips
Post by: jaypo on March 22, 2019, 12:51:38 PM
Hi CG, I don't bite my nails but the skin round them but there's the nail biting stuff you get from pharmacies,you just paint it on and it's vile to the taste,it certainly makes you think twice about putting your fingers to your mouth 🤢
Title: Re: I need to stop nail biting, any hints or tips
Post by: CLKD on March 22, 2019, 12:56:54 PM
Why would it damage your teeth - hasn't done for me other than sucking one finger as a child which moved a front tooth forwards.  Hey ho!

I tried bitter aloes but sucked it off: mustard, lemon juice - the way I stopped was by wearing mittens even in the Summer - the putting of wool into my mouth told me exactly how often I put fingers into gob  ;D

Hasn't stopped me chewing the skin round my fingers ........... which of course get sore .........  ::)
Title: Re: I need to stop nail biting, any hints or tips
Post by: jaypo on March 22, 2019, 02:46:02 PM
Me too Stella,can't remember a time I haven't done it,sometimes you get a bit and puuulllll,then end up with a very sore finger😬☝🏼I should really buy some of that no bite stuff for myself
Title: Re: I need to stop nail biting, any hints or tips
Post by: Countrygirl on March 22, 2019, 02:58:54 PM
I do the skin thing when my nails have splintered off near the sides, it's all those things that are done subconsciously out of habit, that are so hard to stop x
Title: Re: I need to stop nail biting, any hints or tips
Post by: jillydoll on March 22, 2019, 03:12:15 PM
Hi CG
My nails are the same, thin, brittle, and little bits of skin that poke up between the nail and the sides. I pick or bite them off, leaving them sore.
Using false nails have damaged them, some of them have got ridges in them now too.
I have grown them before, and used a clear polish on them, and the smell, and taste of the polish turns me 🤢 and stops me biting....however, they grow only for me to bite a big bit off! It's never ending...then I go back to false nails again!  But the clear polish smell is a turn off, and the ‘stop n grow' stuff Jaypo was talking about is good too..
Other than that, chop em off! Nothing there to chew then! 😂😂😂
Title: Re: I need to stop nail biting, any hints or tips
Post by: sheila99 on March 22, 2019, 09:22:18 PM
Try Stop & Grow from the chemist, it tastes disgusting.
Title: Re: I need to stop nail biting, any hints or tips
Post by: jaypo on March 22, 2019, 10:05:32 PM
Try Stop & Grow from the chemist, it tastes disgusting.
That's the one😆
Title: Re: I need to stop nail biting, any hints or tips
Post by: Dierdre on March 23, 2019, 09:08:48 AM
I've always pick my skin, especially the thumbs. I did stop the nail biting though years ago by simply treating myself to a manicure and then always wearing nail varnish, my nails becme stronger and didn't split so wasnt so tempting to pick and bite.
Title: Re: I need to stop nail biting, any hints or tips
Post by: CLKD on March 23, 2019, 03:22:57 PM
As I nibbled at my very sore thumb nail earlier, I thought of you all  :-X
Title: Re: I need to stop nail biting, any hints or tips
Post by: jaypo on March 23, 2019, 03:41:13 PM
Let's face it,we're all nuts😜🤪🥴
Title: Re: I need to stop nail biting, any hints or tips
Post by: Countrygirl on March 23, 2019, 03:43:33 PM
I think pretty awesome sounds about right 😊 x
Title: Re: I need to stop nail biting, any hints or tips
Post by: CLKD on March 23, 2019, 03:48:43 PM
Even though I've been in the garden I'm still eyeing up that thumb skin  >:(  :-X .......
Title: Re: I need to stop nail biting, any hints or tips
Post by: jaypo on March 23, 2019, 04:10:17 PM
LEAVE IT clkd
Title: Re: I need to stop nail biting, any hints or tips
Post by: Countrygirl on March 23, 2019, 04:35:25 PM
It's hard isn't it CLKD I'm trying hard not to bite my nails its day 4 today, think I might have to buy some stick on ones to cover mine for a few days in case I'm tempted 😂😂 x
Title: Re: I need to stop nail biting, any hints or tips
Post by: CLKD on March 23, 2019, 05:48:36 PM
Mittens - wet wool is really off-putting  :D
Title: Re: I need to stop nail biting, any hints or tips
Post by: Taz2 on March 23, 2019, 06:22:57 PM
I stopped by thinking of all of the germs which are under my nails and on my fingers. Working all day with 6 year olds helps  ;D

Taz x
Title: Re: I need to stop nail biting, any hints or tips
Post by: Taz2 on March 23, 2019, 08:11:15 PM
It doesn't build your immunity to norovirus/stomach viruses which live for a while on surfaces if someone hasn't washed their hands so that's enough for me!
Title: Re: I need to stop nail biting, any hints or tips
Post by: CLKD on March 23, 2019, 09:42:27 PM
My Dad took a scrape from under my nails when I was about 11 years old and put it under the microscope.  Nope. Not put off ........ I tended to keep to one finger though. 

Mittens  ;)
Title: Re: I need to stop nail biting, any hints or tips
Post by: Shadyglade on March 24, 2019, 08:05:41 AM
Yes but don't they say it can build your immunity? I must have swallowed thousands of germs from my fingers in my lifetime.

I never have long nails though, I just don't like them.

Funny thing I've noticed in my journey through life is that I don't tend to get on well with the type of women who have their nails manicured. I usually find I have much more in common with those whose hands look like they've just come in from digging the garden  ;D

Oh, yes.  It's as much as I can do to just cut mine these days.  All that peeling chipped nail varnish.  Can't be doing with it.  ::)
Title: Re: I need to stop nail biting, any hints or tips
Post by: CLKD on March 24, 2019, 02:25:49 PM
 ;D ....... I'm going for a pedicure soon  ;) but I HATE emergy boards  :sick02:
Title: Re: I need to stop nail biting, any hints or tips
Post by: Two hoots on March 24, 2019, 02:36:30 PM
I like painting my nails, and I had manicures a few times before going on holiday but I could never have a pedicure because I can't bear to have the sole of my food touched, not even by me  ::)
Title: Re: I need to stop nail biting, any hints or tips
Post by: CLKD on March 24, 2019, 02:42:38 PM
Oh I love my feet tickled.  When stressed it helps to calm me.

Of course, if one doesn't fancy mittens, try socks on the hands  ;)
Title: Re: I need to stop nail biting, any hints or tips
Post by: Dierdre on March 24, 2019, 03:50:19 PM
I usually have a pedicure before going on holiday, I love having a foot massage, it always makes me feel so chilled.
Title: Re: I need to stop nail biting, any hints or tips
Post by: Rosie77 on April 04, 2019, 12:10:18 PM
Hi countygirl!  I was a terrible nail biter as a child.  My mother told me I would get pin worms if I didn't stop.  Also, she would put this bitter polish on them...which really didn't work. But, the thought of getting worms freaked me out! I have not chewed my nails in years...now I am just a picker! seriously, look up pin worms...so gross!  :P
Title: Re: I need to stop nail biting, any hints or tips
Post by: Yorkshire Girl on April 04, 2019, 04:32:55 PM
I have been picking my cuticles around fingers and thumbs since I stopped sucking my thumb so around the age of 5. Then eventually stopped picking the fingers but carried on with thumbs, they healed like new while I was in hospital having my op, but after a few days started again, they both split at different times took nearly 10 months to heal now looking good but after 41 yrs it's hard to stop! :'(
Title: Re: I need to stop nail biting, any hints or tips
Post by: CLKD on April 04, 2019, 06:44:40 PM
I've had a real good go in recent days  ::) now my fingers feel sore  :(