Did your parents always nag when you bit your nails again? You may now be doing the same with your own children, but there is a small advantage to nail biting and thumb sucking.
According to researchers at the University of Otago, nail biting and thumb sucking can help build resistance to certain allergies. This is due to the microbacteria on your hands that you are exposed to when you put your fingers in your mouth.
Of the nail biters or thumb suckers studied, 38 percent developed an allergy. Of those who didn't have these "bad" habits, that was 49 percent. Of the children who sucked their thumbs and bit their nails, only 31 percent developed an allergy. It is emphasized that this is not a reason to encourage thumb sucking or nail biting.
