Daf Yomi Moed Katan daf 18: Do Chazal Really Recommend Biting Toenails???

So it would seem, at least at first glance. From Moed Katan 18b {see here in the Rif}:

{Moed Katan 18a}

ת"ר כשם שאמרו אסור לגלח במועד כך אמרו אסור ליטול צפרניו במועד דברי רבי יהודה
ורבי יוסי מתיר
וכשם שאמרו אסור לגלח בימי אבלו כך אמרו אסור ליטול צפרניו בימי אבלו דברי רבי יהודה
ורבי יוסי מתיר

אמר עולא הלכתא כר' יהודה באבל והלכתא כר' יוסי במועד
ושמואל אמר הלכתא כרבי יוסי בזה ובזה

דאמר שמואל הלכתא כדברי המיקל באבל וקי"ל כשמואל ול"ש צפרניו דיד ול"ש צפרניו דרגל כולהו שרו
מיהו ה"מ בשיניו אבל בגנוסתרי אסור דאמר ר' חייא בר אשי (א"ר אשי) א"ר ובגנוסתרי אסור

The Sages learnt {in a brayta}: Just as they said that it is forbidden to shave on chol haMoed, so they said that it is forbidden to cut his nails on chol haMoed. These are the words of Rabbi Yehuda. And Rabbi Yossi permits.
And just as they said that it is forbidden to shave during his days of mourning, so did they say that it is forbidden to cut his nails during his days of mourning. These are the words of Rabbi Yehuda. And Rabbi Yossi permits.

Ulla said: The halacha is like Rabbi Yehuda as regards mourning and like Rabbi Yossi as regards chol haMoed.
And Shmuel said: The halacha is like Rabbi Yossi by both this and that.

For Shmuel said: The halacha is like the words of the lenient one by mourning. And we establish like Shmuel.

And it matters not whether they are fingernails or toenails, all they permitted.
However, these words are with his teeth. But with a nail scissors, it is forbidden. For Rabbi Chiyya bar Ashi (cited Rav Ashi) cited Rav: And with a nail scissors it is forbidden.

Note that the way the Rif resolves this, it is speaking of a mourner rather than conduct during chol haMoed, where even with nail scissors it is permitted.

If one cannot clip with a nail scissors {or perhaps clippers - machloket Aruch vs. Rashi} but only with teeth, how is one supposed to cut toenails. Ew!

Indeed, the story about Rabbi Yochanan which follows demonstrates that it is not disgusting to bite your nails in front of other people {at least the way Rashi interprets ain baHem mishum mius -- we might say this refers to the nails themselves}. But surely there is mius in biting toenails, even in private!

Some possible answers:
1) Perhaps not. Perhaps this is a 21st century Western construct.
2) Perhaps the halacha is different that laid out, and they meant that with a nail scissors it is forbidden on fingernails, but on toenails of course one has no recourse. Or some similar hanacha.
3) Perhaps what is meant by "teeth" is any non-clipper/nail scissors solution. Thus, perhaps a nail filing tool. Or perhaps a regular scissors. Or a razor. Related to this suggestion:
4) We have the Mishna in the 10th perek of Shabbat:

MISHNA VII.: One who pares his finger-nails, either by means of his nails or by means of his teeth; also one who plucks hair from his head, beard, or lip; also a woman who braids her hair, or paints her eyebrows, or parts her hair, is, according to R. Eliezer, culpable. The sages, however, declare this to be (prohibited only by rabbinical law) as a precautionary measure.

If so, paring his toenails my means of his fingernails might be the implication of his teeth -- anything non-nail scissors-y.