DD still puts everything in her mouth

[GetOnMyNerves]

Does anyone know if this is something I need to be speaking to the health visitor about?
She's been to the dentist very recently and they've definitely said there's no signs of teething.
She's never had a dummy or sucked her thumb. I try to discourage her putting things in her mouth as much as possible but she will then also bite herself if she can't access anything.
She's very clingy to me when together, to the point she won't even play in another room while I'm busy in another.
She attends nursery and loves it. Very social and outgoing.
Not sure what's going on or if anything is connected. Any advice would be appreciated

How old is she?

Sorry missed out the vital info! She was 3 in July.

Obviously you know your dd better than I do but, to me at least, it doesnt really sound like very much out of the ordinary is going on. At 3 my two wanted to be around my feet to the point of not being able to use the loo alone.

It's great that she's happy at nursery, that's a real positive.

With the putting things in her mouth, is she mouthing everything (exploring it with her mouth like babies do) or are there certain things/textures she likes to chew? Does she want any of the things she puts in het mouth?

That should say "does she eat any of the things she puts in her mouth?"

It can literally be anything but I think it seems to be harder materials like plastic toys, but also often thinks like stickers/paper, sometimes the top that she's wearing. She seems to like the harder things like stickle bricks etc. It's all pretty random and I have to be careful what's about as she just sticks it in her mouth. She doesn't intend to swallow bits but sometimes she does break up stickers in her mouth, bites bits of the stickle bricks. Even things like puzzle pieces she has chewed a lot of the connecting sticky out bits on the puzzles so they are missing.
I know she has done it at nursery too as they asked me to bring in a teething toy for her but that was a while ago.
I do tend to worry a lot so maybe I'm just over worrying. Also chews her fingers a lot.

It seems like she has a bit of an oral fixation but that, in isolation, wouldnt make me unduly worried. It can be a sensory thing, soothing. You could try buying some chew toys (for older children not dogs!) and try redirecting her to those as a way of starting her gaining some control over the habit.

My 8 and 9yo sons routinely put things in their mouths still. I wouldn't worry!!

If you haven’t any other concerns, I’d say it’s nothing major.
I second buying a couple of chew toys suitable for her age and encourage her to chomp on those.
It’s a sensory need and she may have slightly missed it, and is compensating now. I expect she’ll largely outgrow it soon, but many children do chew pen and pencils, the toggles on their jackets, even Lego!
Hanging around your feet is totally normal too; they do it because they love you.

Thanks for the reassurance.

I'm not overly bothered that she's attached to me in that sense, a friend just made me question it as her child happily goes and plays in their room on their own.

It is just me and her and always has been so we may have a closer relationship than some other families.

Your DD sounds very similar to mine; she constantly puts things in her mouth and often chews things and i have no idea why as I see younger children that don’t. My DD also won’t play in another room by herself but I see that as fairly normal and that she just likes the company; she’ll play in her room with a friend but she likes to play in the room that I’m in.

Does she take daily vitamins?

Yes she has a daily vitamin every morning.