Really robust options like the Dino-Bite, Super Star, and Y-Chew for tough chewers. Krypto-Bite, Saber Tooth, and Write-n-Bite. There are super discreet options like the There are lots of different options available today from the classic Grabber to chewable necklaces and bracelets to chewable pencil toppers. The easiest way to help kids stop chewing on toys and other miscellaneous items is to give them a Need to chew, which means they need something to chew on. They don’t want to be destructive or harm themselves or anything around them. It’s really important to note: kids don’t want to chew on things they’re not supposed to. That’s a screenshot of the first images that show up when you do a Google image search of the word “nervous” - every person is either biting their fingernails or biting their lip! When we’re nervous or anxious or upset, many of us instinctually put our hands to our mouths. Look at the image above for example for a quick visual. For a lot more information about the reasons behind chewing,
Similar to how babies mouth/chew on things to self-soothe, chewing is a calming mechanism that stays with us as we get older, more so for some people than for others. Why do some people need to chew? It’s typically related to some kind of stress and/or anxiety. They’re not things that are necessarily comfortable or good or safe to chew on, they just happen to be “right there” within reach. What do all of these items have in common? They’re all objects that kids have access to. For kids, the most common things we hear are (not in any order): fingernails, fingers, hands, hair, shirts, sleeves, blankets, remotes, game controllers, toys, books, straws, water bottle caps, stuffed animals, headphones, phone cords, iPhone cases, school ID badges, pens, pencils, etc. You're not alone! Chewing on non-food items is actually quite common at all ages from kids through adults. Do chewed up barbie hands or toy car tires sound familiar? Stretched out shirt collars? Is it hard to find a pencil or straw or bottle cap without bite marks on it?