Can Myofunctional Therapy Help Me Stop Biting My Nails?  

YES, it is worth investigating

   There have been several studies done in children and adults that investigate the relationship between tempromandibular disorders (TMD’s), and parafunctional habits such as; mouth breathing, bruxism (clenching, grinding), tongue thrust, nail biting, leaning on face,  pencil or pen chewing, and thumb sucking.  Damage done by these OMD’s differs from person to person based on the age, duration and intensity of the habit. The first signs something may be wrong,  is pain in the region of the jaw.

There was a specific study done investigating the prevalence of nail biting amongst high school students.  Some students had pain in the TMJ relating to emotional stress, while the most common symptoms were pain in the jaw muscles and delicate TMJ capsule, upon palpation.

Conclusion, “The results shows a strong influence of nail biting on TMDs, so it is important to increase the level of awareness about the risks of nail biting habit among teenagers and parents.”

Albagieh, H.N. (2017) International Journal of Medical Sciences and Clinical Invention, vol. 4, Issue 1, January, 2017, p.2599-2603