Does anyone eat boogers

This website uses cookies to improve user experience. By continuing to use our website you consent to all cookies in accordance with our cookie policy. Here's Why You Really Shouldn't Share on Facebook. Share on Twitter. Health and Medicine. Don't do this. By James Felton 05 Aug , This website uses cookies This website uses cookies to improve user experience. Another study notes that salivary mucins can help suppress certain microbes, such as Candida albicans. This is the primary microbe that causes oral thrush.

Scientists need to carry out more research into eating boogers to determine whether or not there are any health benefits. Mucus in the nose acts as a filter system for viruses and bacteria trying to invade the body. As a result, each booger may contain a host of harmful microorganisms. People who pick their nose have higher levels of the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus in their nose. The symptoms of a staph infection include :.

Sometimes, a staph infection will clear up by itself. If not, a doctor may recommend oral antibiotics or topical antimicrobial treatments. If a person has boils, a doctor will drain them under local anesthetic. The mucous membrane that lines the nose contains many blood vessels.

Excessive nose picking can cause damage to the lining, and this may cause nosebleeds, or epistaxis. Pregnant women should be particularly careful with nose picking, as pregnancy hormones can increase blood flow and relax the muscle tissues in the nose, causing more frequent nosebleeds.

Excessive nose picking can cause lesions in the nasal passage. Symptoms of nasal lesions include:. Treatment may consist of applying petroleum jelly, using a saline spray to keep the nasal passages from drying out, or using topical pain relief creams.

It is not unusual to see young children picking their nose. This might be because they may not know an alternative way to clear their nose yet, such as blowing into a tissue.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics , curiosity and boredom are two major contributing factors to nose picking in children. Picking their nose, eating the boogers, and not washing their hands afterward could mean that children are spreading viruses and bacteria. Studies suggest that cold viruses, such as rhinovirus, are more prevalent in homes with children. Encouraging a child to wash their hands frequently, such as before playing and eating, will help reduce the spread of infection.

Children who pick their nose to the point of bleeding, or who do it when they are feeling anxious, should see a doctor. A doctor may be able to suggest ways to reduce the habit or refer the child to a mental healthcare provider. Although they may not openly admit it, adults also pick their nose. However, it is not clear how many of them eat the boogers. Nose picking may simply be a habit that an adult does without thinking, or they may use it as a way to clear the nasal passages.

Rarely, nose picking becomes more than a habit. Some people may pick their nose compulsively and repeatedly. In theory, the body could build up an immunity to the bacteria in this mucus and then be more equipped to fight against future illness-causing bacteria. Sometimes, picking the nose but not necessarily eating boogers may seem like a more convenient way to clean out the nose versus using a tissue.

If this is the case, you may wish to do so in private and wash your hands after to avoid the spread of potential infectious diseases. Some chronic nose pickers may also experience nosebleeds as well if they pick so much they affect the tissues inside their nose.

Children are especially prone to nose picking since they may not have learned alternative methods, such as blowing their nose. They also tend not to be bothered by things that many adults find socially unacceptable or gross. While many people associate nose picking with childhood, adults eat their boogers too. In adulthood, several contributing factors can lead to this behavior. Second, the nose picking may be a way of relieving anxiety.

In some people, compulsive nose picking rhinotillexomania may be a form of obsessive compulsive disorder. Try these tips for beating the habit:. If you find that you pick your nose to the extent where you have frequent nosebleeds or even infections, you may need to see a doctor. Sometimes a person can benefit from therapy to retrain their behaviors or even medications to reduce compulsive thoughts and behaviors.

Mucus, or boogers, is a naturally protective part of your body. By catching dust, bacteria, viruses, and dirt before they get into the respiratory tract, mucus in the nose can be protective.