Chewing on metal things - normal?

[laraeo]

DS is 16 months and for the last few weeks has been gnawing on anything metal - belt buckles, spiral notebooks, you name it. He'll chew on other stuff too (toys mostly) but it's the metal I'm worried about because of his teeth. Is this normal? Is he just teething? (He never went for any of the "official" teething things.) Or could he have some sort of weird mineral deficiency? He doesn't do it all the time but enough that I've noticed and am posting....

[laurawantsababy]

I could be because its cold. 1 yo dd goes through stages of chewing her arm and will stop for ages before doing it again. She has been cutting a tooth for what seems likes months and its only just coming through.

She isnt fussed by teethers either only the things she shouldnt chew

[Tracy551162]

My 1 year old son has been chewing on metal since he was 8 months old. Loves it. I guess the cold is interesting sensation. He didn't have any teeth until 11 months, so don't think it was that. He still likes cold stuff now.