To want an alternative to thumb sucking for DD (6)

[Allfednonedead]

My DD has always been a very oral child. She adored her dummy, and after the dummy fairy took away dummies, she started sucking her thumb.
I planned to put bitter varnish on her nails to stop her, but she volunteered to stop in exchange for pretty nail varnish. Being a determined thing, that was the last time she sucked her thumb for about two years.
For the past month or so, she’s been really struggling. Her usual strategies (including gently gnawing on her wrist and putting her hand on her face) don’t seem to soothe her any more and she is begging to be allowed suck her thumb.
Since the reason I made her stop was a comment from the dentist that it was already affecting her teeth, I’m saying ‘no’, but I’d love to be able to find some alternative that would meet that need for her.
Does anyone have any ideas about something she could suck that wouldn’t damage her teeth?

You are very compassionate, it's lovely you are trying to think of an alternative.
What about a chewy tube? Or maybe one of the squishy foam animals instead of a stressball type thing?
I was a thumb sucker till age 10- very bucky teeth but braces sorted those however my thumb is still odd lookin. It has a misshapen nail, more wrinkles and is a bit smaller!
I hope you find an alternative for her, but if not, perhaps thumb would be a short term fix till shes a bit older?

I feel like she’s really putting the effort in, so I have to try and help her. And she obviously gets such comfort from it - it was the same with a dummy and breast-feeding. Her twin was never interested in the dummy, but this one - you could see the happiness on her little face!
I hate to deny her such comfort now, but I also remember the pain and discomfort of braces, so would like to avoid them if possible.

Would "chewelry" work for her? (Think a necklace made from old style telephone coils sort of thing)

How about a sensory chew necklace? Not necessarily to suck but might be an alternative.

Thanks everyone. I’ll look into ‘chewellery’.

I used to carry a ball in my pocket to fiddle with
Maybe a "breastfeeding" necklace turns into a bracelet as the bids are silicone and safe to chew?
I miss my ball now 😫

Since a reward worked for her in the past I'll give you the method my parents used though it won't have an effect if 1) she's old enough to think it childish and 2) she isn't dead honest. My father got a day-by-day calendar & a packet of coloured star stickers. I got a star on each day I didn't suck my thumb; if I got through a week without doing it then a gold star went onto the page for Sunday. Corny, I know, but it worked & perhaps some variant might be worth trying.