ARK Chewing Guide™

Need help choosing which chew tools will be the best fit?  You've come to the right place!  Below is an in-depth explanation of our different hardness levels, what the best recommendations are, and more.  As a heads up:  it's a lot of info!  For a lot of people none of the below will matter - they'll love any of our chew tools in any hardness level.  Some people have more specific preferences/needs, though.  So this guide is meant to cover everything you might need to know to "chews" the right chew tools.  

How old is the child / person?  

For babies and toddlers (under about the age of 2.5 years):  the Baby Grabber and/or Tri-Chew are definitely the way to go. The Baby Grabber has a stem that’s long enough for babies to reach their molars, but short enough so that it doesn’t go back too far.  The Tri-Chew has lots of texture for extra sensory input.  Both are easy for little hands to hold.

For anyone 2.5 years and up:  regular Grabbers (which have a longer stem than the Baby Grabber) and/or Y-Chews are great choices.  

For anyone 5 years and up:  chewelry becomes an option as well.  Because these are worn on a necklace, we recommend them for 5 years and up.

For 6-7 years and up:  pencil toppers (smooth or textured) become a great fit, too, especially for schoolwork.

Note:  These are not necessarily hard-and-fast rules.  For instance, a lot of babies and toddlers use the regular Grabbers instead of the Baby Grabbers.  They usually learn very quickly how to gauge how far to put the extension back in their mouth. Or as another example, a lot of parents give our chewelry to kids younger than 5 years if they deem it appropriate, and if used under direct supervision.

What does the person currently like/tend to chew on?  

We always recommend best matching the chew tool to what the person already likes to chew on.  That way they’ll be most likely to switch to chewing on the chew tool instead.  A lot of individuals with oral sensory needs immediately gravitate to a chew tool - they welcome being able to chew on something specifically meant for chewing, and meant for them.  In some cases (especially with young kids), however, it may be a little harder to make the transition.  You may need to help redirect the habit and remind them to chew on their chew tool instead.  Either way though - whether one immediately takes to it or needs some redirecting - having a chew tool that best matches what they already chew on can only help increase acceptance.

To that end, all of our chew tools come in 3 color-coded toughness levels:

• Soft - the softest, “chewiest” option that you can “sink your teeth” into the most.  Recommended for mild chewing, or for those who like to chew on very soft items like fabric or gum.

• XT are “Xtra Tough” - this option is firmer, but still chewy.  Recommended for moderate chewing.  This is a good “middle of the road” option when in doubt.  It's very similar to the feel of Pink Pearl erasers.

• XXT are “Xtra Xtra Tough” - the most firm option.  These are pretty tough and rigid, but still with some chewiness and "give."  Recommended for avid chewing OR for those who like to chew on firm items.  Although no chew tool is indestructible, these are usually the longest lasting option for heavy chewers.

So as an example, if a child is chewing on his/her pacifier (something soft and squishy), their shirt collars, biting their lips, etc. - then the soft level would most likely be the best fit.  If a person is chewing on rigid items pen caps, bottle caps, a channel changer, wooden items, etc. - then the hardest XXT level would most likely be the best fit.

Does the person chew through / cause damage to what they currently chew on?

Matching the chew tool to what they already like to chew on is usually ideal.  However, if the individual is chewing through or causing damage to those items, you may need to go up in hardness (if you want something that will last longer).  For example, if the individual likes to chew on shirts (something soft) but is chewing holes in them, going up to at least the XT if not the XXT would most likely be a good idea.  

For avid / intense chewing, the XXT level is typically the best option for two reasons:
1. It typically lasts the longest and holds up the best to intense chewing, and
2. Individuals with an intense need to chew usually like the extra resistance to the jaw that the XXT provides.  

However, sensory preferences can of course throw us curveballs sometimes.  Which means that in a rare case, someone may prefer to chew on the soft level, but needs the XXT in terms of intensity.  In other words, the XXT is too firm for them, even though that’s the option that would last the longest for their chewing needs.  

At the end of the day, if someone won't use a chew tool because it’s too tough, then it won't serve its purpose.  So in this case it’s best to stick with the softer chews that they prefer.  They may chew through them more quickly than the XXT, but at least they will use them instead of chewing on other potentially harmful items.  And there are several other things you can do to help them last longer.

Narrowing it down from there:

•  Choosing between the Grabber and Y-Chew is mostly just preference.  The Grabber has a built-in loop handle that some people prefer.  The Y-Chew has 3 different extensions to chew on.  For more information on the difference between these two, click here.

•  Choosing between the different chewelry designs is also mostly preference (except for the Saber Tooth - this option is not recommended for avid chewing because of the narrow tip).  Out of the chewelry, the necklaces are generally the most popular - most of these are slender enough to reach the back molars where chewing is usually needed the most.  Bracelets (in smooth or textured) are a great alternative for those who can’t wear necklaces, and/or for those who tend to chew their sleeves.  Pencil Toppers (also in smooth or textured) work especially well for those who tend to chew on their pencils.

•  Some of our chew tools are smooth, others are have tactile bumps and/or ribs.  Sensory seekers usually love texture.  If the individual has low tone / oral awareness, texture is good to help “wake up” the mouth.”  If the person is orally sensitive, you may want to start with the smooth options and progress to the textured ones to slowly de-sensitize. 

•  If you are using our chew tools to work on oral motor skills - the Grabber and/or Y-Chew are the best options for that.  Start with the soft versions and progress to the XT to gradually build jaw strength.  For more ideas on how to use them, visit ARK University and scroll down to the Grabber / Y-Chew section.

Good to know:

•  Some people may want a variety of chew tool shapes and toughness levels.  Sensory preferences can vary from day to day or even hour to hour.  At times they may want something very chewy (the soft level).  At other times they may want something more rigid that provides a lot of resistance / proprioceptive feedback to the jaw (XXT level).  

•  Each toughness level is not necessarily 100% equal from shape to shape. For instance, our bracelet in XXT will feel tougher than our Brick in XXT.  This is because geometry plays a role - the bracelet is “locked” into a circle so it can’t “give” as much.  It doesn’t have as much room to squish and spread out as the Brick.  As another example, our Saber Tooth narrows down to a point, so that part of the pendant feels a bit softer than the rest of the tooth (which is also why that shape is not recommended for avid chewing).  We do our best to make things as consistent as possible though.  And no matter the shape of the chew, there is always a definite progression of hardness between the levels from soft to XT to XXT.

•  Keep in mind that everyone has different preferences. We’ve had parents tell us that they've received their package and feel the XXT is too tough for their child, but when their child actually tries it, he/she loves it.  XXT may feel too tough for one person’s jaw, but for others it is just right.  We all have different levels of sensory needs.

•  When it comes to oral sensory needs, chew tools are usually just one piece of the puzzle.  A very important piece, but only one piece.  Other sensory / calming strategies are usually also needed and very helpful.  For more information on this, click here.  And for a related article on the reasons behind the need to chew, click here.

•  For the necklaces, the cord and clasp are not meant for chewing.  Some kids may gravitate to the cord and/or clasp in the beginning, in which case you’ll need to redirect them.  Each time they try to chew on the cord or clasp (or anything else), remind them to chew on the pendant instead.  Be consistent and patient, as it may take some time to redirect the habit.  For the best results, it helps to get everyone involved in redirecting - teachers, parents, siblings, grandparents, babysitters, etc., at least until it “sticks.”

•  If redirecting won’t work, or if the individual can’t wear anything around their neck, you can try tying the necklace to a zipper pull or through a button hole instead.  Bracelets are also a great alternative to necklaces.

•  Our Y-Chew XXT is typically the longest lasting chew for avid chewing.  

•  To view all of our products in a chart by age and hardness, click here.

Still not sure which option to get?  No problem, email us at info@arktherapeutic.com or via the form below with the individual's age and chewing preferences (what they like to chew on, if they chew through those things, etc.) so we can help :)