Why do people bite their nails?

Prevention

You may not see a change overnight, but with a little time and effort, you can bust your nail-biting habit.Try these tips:

• Cut them short. If there’s not enough nail to grab with your teeth, it won’t feel as satisfying when you give biting a try.
• Coat them with a bad taste. There are special nail polishes with a bitter flavor you can paint on your nails. The terrible taste will make you think twice before chewing.
• Splurge on manicures. Spending money and time at a nail salon will give you both good-looking nails and a reason to keep them that way.
• Wear gloves. It may sound silly, but if you can’t get to your nails, you can’t bite them. If gloves won’t work for your daily schedule, you can look for stickers made to cover nails -- they can have the same effect.
• Find your triggers. Notice how you feel or what you’re doing when you bite your nails. Once you know what kicks you into nail-biting drive, you can try to find other ways to cope.
• Keep your hands or mouth busy. Find something to fiddle with -- a stress ball, a worry stone, or even a pen to click. Chew gum so your mouth has a job. Give your nail-biting energy another place to go.