- Sensorische producten, kauwsieraden & educatief speelgoed
5 fables about chewing needs
Sometimes you hear people very firmly stating facts about chewing and chewing needs. But unfortunately, some of these so-called facts are not based on truth at all. So to get straight to the point, here we will go into the 5 most common myths about chewing needs and use of bite chains.
Myth 1 – Chewing and sucking only babies do
This is surely the most common fable, which if not true. Of course, babies explore the world through their mouths. But what we also learn from the baby period is that biting, sucking and sucking are ways to calm ourselves (to regulate). It is therefore not surprising that a number of children and adults still use this way of self-regulation. Children and adults with problems in processing stimuli know how important it is to regulate our senses. Some regulate themselves by fidgeting and others calm themselves by chewing. So if you still think that “chewing is for babies,” think about how unfortunate it is for all those children and adults who then shouldn’t be allowed to use these effective self-regulating strategies.
Myth 2 – Chewing is a form of distraction
There are people who think that when you’re chewing on something, you’re not paying attention. It’s a common mindset of teachers in schools. We would like to emphasize here that chewing helps children to stay calm and focused and to concentrate on the school task.
Myth 3 – Sturdy bite chains break, so you have to be a very strong chewer
A common misconception is that when a child bites solid bite chains, it is an aggressive chewer and not a chewing chain is suitable. The piece of biting of a hard chewing chain can also occur because the bite chain gives too little sensory input. You will chew harder to get the feedback you need, but all that happens is that the chain is damaged. It is therefore important to look at a slightly softer model that gives more sensory input and is still sturdy enough not to break.
Myth 4 – Bite chains should not be able to break
A bite chain is often thought that it cannot break, because it is intended to meet the chewing need. But unfortunately, this is not a realistic thought. After all, there is nothing you chew on (and that is safe for your teeth) that will not break in the end. So our silicone chewing chains are not indestructible either. There are children or adults who can chew on a bite chain for years before it damages, but that is often an exception. On the other hand, there are also children and adults who need a new chew chain every 2-3 months.
Myth 5 – Chewing is bad for your teeth
It’s understandable why people think chewing on a bite chain can be bad for teeth, but let’s turn this around and look at it from a different perspective. What kind of things were chewed before a chew chain was used? We have customers who chew on everything from clothes, plastic toys to bricks. You have to ask yourself what chewing these things does to your teeth. We are not even talking about the harmful substances that you ingest by chewing on material that is not suitable (think of dyes, bpa, latex etc). We’ve had clients give us feedback that their dentists love our chewing jewelry.
Finally
Based on my expertise as an orthopedagogue with a specialization in ‘stimulus processing problems’, I try to change the image of ‘chewing needs’. In any case, the perception of how important sensory input can be for self-regulation. I would appreciate it if you could share these fables with people you think can help you understand the need for chewing. And do you know any other fables about chewing needs? Feel free to share them with me.
