4.5 Year Old Everything in Mouth

In child care we can often tell which kids are going to be biters because of this particular kind of activity. I am giving you some links but not implying your child is a biter, just the chew part of it. Some kids need to have more chew time and they are constantly doing this kind of stuff. That is why they tend to bite, it feels good to them and they just need to chew on something...lol.

On the other hand, she should visit a pediatric dentist to see if she has cavity's she may also have something stuck in her gums, like a tiny popcorn hull. It is often something wrong with the teeth that causes a child to chew on items.

Kids that do this kind of activity will often grow up to bite their nails too. So finding out what the reason is may help stop lots of annoying habits that could plague her the rest of her life.

Here are some good links to articles that cover a variety of topics but all having something to do with giving more chew time and appropriate things to chew.
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I like the idea of a picture book she can help you make of things you feel comfortable with her chewing on.
http://www.examiner.com/child-care-in-oklahoma-city/child...
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This one talks about exploration of her world, she's learning by putting stuff in her mouth. She also may need some chewy foods to make her jaw tired then she won't want to chew for a while.
http://extension.unh.edu/family/documents/hcdvs105.pdf
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Never heard of a chew tube before but it works like this, they put the tube in their mouth and are allowed to chew on it when they want to chew something. It allows kids with SPD to focus more and not be distracted. I remember one time I was playing BINGO with some friends and we had done several speed rounds. I was way too slow. I had just picked up a rice cake to snack on and had it in my teeth to bite it when the next speed round started. I was faster than all my friends who played every night. It was amazing to me so I know there is something to the mouth staying busy things....LOL.
http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/chewy-tubes.html

This can be a sign of anxiety or a developmental disorder or just a habit. If she's not having difficulty in other aspects I suggest that you give her something to carry with her that she can chew on. This will help keep her other toys whole. There are specific chew toys made for kids with developmental disabilities. You can find on line catalogs by googling developmental disabilities. Or you could just use a sturdy soft plastic toy.

If it's washable, make her wash it immediately. If she puts chew marks on it, throw it away, whatever it is. If she ends up with no toys, so be it. If she likes those fun silly straws, throw them away and tell her she can't have more if she chews on it. You are going to have to stop her immediately.

At the same time, get her to eat crunchy things if possible, raw veggies and ranch dressing and popcycles. She needs more chewing.

It's not normal for a child to chew on toys at 4.5 years old. If you did it as well, perhaps it's hereditary... but it can also be a sign of stress, or an oral sensation thing. If it was my daughter, I'd talk to her pediatrician about getting an evaluation for therapy. Sometimes kids who chew on things qualify for OT, or even just a person who can help you channel her chewing behavior so she chews on appropriate things (not everything). There are "chew toys" -- not sure what they're really called -- for kids that are used in schools and in therapy. maybe that could help your daughter?