The Effect of Emotional Abuse on Nail Biting Related Malalignment of Teeth

Background: Emotional abuse is a very common form of child abuse. It is suggested that the adverse outcomes from all forms of abuse mostly result from the emotional impacts. Nail biting or onychophagia is a common stress-relieving oral habit related to a psycho emotional state of anxiety. It is one of warning signs of child maltreatment. Nail biting children are at risk of developing malocclusion of the anterior teeth. Objectives: To determine the effect of emotional abuse on nail biting habit in relation to tooth alignment. Materials and Methods: This comparative study included 522 students aged 13–15 years who were attending secondary schools in Kirkuk/Iraq. Information on emotional abuse and presence or absence of nail biting habits were obtained using a structured, self-administered questionnaires. The malalignment of teeth was measured according to WHO in 1997 which include crowding of anterior teeth from canine to another canine for both upper and lower jaw. The data were collected, summarized, and statistically analyzed. Results: In present community, the severe and moderate level of emotional abuse was higher than mild level and there was an effect of abuse on nail biting habit that affect malalignment of teeth. Conclusion: The occurrence of emotional abuse in our community can be considered quite high as moderate and severe levels of abuse were reported more frequently than mild levels of abuse. It has an effect on nail biting and malalignment of teeth as nail biting was higher in higher level of abuse than lower.