5 Year Old Putting Things in Her Mouth

Updated on April 20, 2009
P.P. asks from Lansing, IL
4 answers

I'm not sure if this is something to be expected but it is driving me crazy. My 5 year old daughter has started to put things in her mouth. For the past four months or so, I noticed that she puts anything in her mouth like she is 5 months not 5 years. One day, I came in the room and she had the business end of a pencil in her mouth sucking on it. Normally its her fingers, but lately it has gotten to be anything. I know she might start loosing her baby teeth soon, do they feel it before they are loose. I have checked her teeth and none are loose. I'm not even sure if this is a medical issue or a dental issue. I think I am going to try the dentist soon, but any advice is helpful.

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C.C.

answers from Chicago on

Like the Previous poster, I'm just here to tell you that you are not alone. My daughter will be 6 soon and has been doing this for months! It started out just as finger nails to the extent that her fingertips were red because she'd bitten so far down`. It seems that shes done with the fingernails, but now she has her fingers (not even chewing), her coat, her toys, her pencils, etc. in her mouth. She actually put her fingers in her mouth as we were preparing her second taco! It's less than one minute between the food she finished chewing and the food she will begin chewing! It drives me insane.

Also, at a birthday party this weekend, I told her to put her fingers down and two other moms also confirmed the same issue with their daughters. Looks like we may just have to wait it out. Good luck to us all. =0)

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D.

answers from Chicago on

Ditto here! My 5 year old has been putting his fingers in his mouth for a couple months now and will chew on the sleeve of his shirt too. I'm not sure what's going on, but it seems to be fairly normal now that I've seen the other responses.

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D.N.

answers from Chicago on

My kids are 10. I never had to run after them when they were little to pull something out of their mouths. Now, constantly tell them to get the pencil, penny, Lego, etc out of their mouths. It used to be their shirt sleeves or collar. I asked if I should serve Legos for dinner. Not unusual at all and not sure if it is connected to loosening teeth. mine still have some baby teeth in there. At this point and age, I am just glad it is not something else.

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A.T.

answers from Chicago on

Unfortunately, my almost 6 year old has always been a very oral kid. For her, it has nothing to do with teeth coming out, tension, nothing....she just sucks and chews on stuff. Toys, pencils, markers, money..doesn't matter. Drives my husband and me nuts too. We just keep telling her "take that out of your mouth right now. If that gets anywhere near your face again it is gone."...I probably say it once a day. She does it unconsciously or maybe it is somehow mentally soothing to her, I don't know. I wish I had some wisdom to impart other than keep telling her to knock it off...and take whatever it is away if you see it near her face again. Good luck--if you find the golden solution let me know!

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