Basically I'm looking for a hard treat or chew toy for humans.
December 6, 2013 12:00 PM Subscribe
Over Thanksgiving I discovered I really enjoy chewing on cinnamon sticks. The only problem is they can get brittle pretty fast, leading to a mouthful of fragments and a really unpleasant explosion of cinnamon in my mouth. So! I thought I can't be the only person that likes this...
Are there any hard treats or flavored chew toys for humans? Preferably, I am looking for something relatively hard, durable and pleasant-tasting. It should also be reasonably healthy! So basically not straight up candy. I try to avoid sugar and am on a diet.
Off the top of my head, possible flavors include savory, tart or mint. This item does not have to be extremely flavorful, to be honest I think I find just being able to chew on something strangely relaxing. So you know where I'm coming from, I love pumpkin seeds, but they upset my stomach.
So, am I part-dog? Where are my people? Any ideas?
Are there any hard treats or flavored chew toys for humans? Preferably, I am looking for something relatively hard, durable and pleasant-tasting. It should also be reasonably healthy! So basically not straight up candy. I try to avoid sugar and am on a diet.
Off the top of my head, possible flavors include savory, tart or mint. This item does not have to be extremely flavorful, to be honest I think I find just being able to chew on something strangely relaxing. So you know where I'm coming from, I love pumpkin seeds, but they upset my stomach.
So, am I part-dog? Where are my people? Any ideas?
These aren't food items but my daughter likes to chew on one when she's watching tv. Ok, and I kind of like to also.
posted by dawkins_7 at 12:05 PM on December 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by dawkins_7 at 12:05 PM on December 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
Old-fashioned hard candy sticks, cinnamon.
ETA: Whoops, sorry, that was *no* candy...
posted by MonkeyToes at 12:10 PM on December 6, 2013
ETA: Whoops, sorry, that was *no* candy...
posted by MonkeyToes at 12:10 PM on December 6, 2013
Response by poster: I'd like something bigger than a toothpick, but let's not pretend like I didn't just buy a couple of boxes of those. Thanks!
These aren't food items but my daughter likes to chew on one when she's watching tv. Ok, and I kind of like to also.
What the shit is that thing, I love it!
posted by phaedon at 12:37 PM on December 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
These aren't food items but my daughter likes to chew on one when she's watching tv. Ok, and I kind of like to also.
What the shit is that thing, I love it!
posted by phaedon at 12:37 PM on December 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
Neem sticks or Miswak sticks are also recommended along with licorice, as dizziest recommended. I couldn't find neem sticks for sale in the US but I did find neem toothpicks on amazon.
posted by leemleem at 1:06 PM on December 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by leemleem at 1:06 PM on December 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
Btw, the things dawkins_7 refers to are "oral motor toys", or chew tubes. They are unflavored, but, maybe they'll do the trick? You may also consider toothettes, but read the ingredients list carefully; you probably don't want to swallow copious amounts of the dentifrice. Untreated ones are also available.
posted by absquatulate at 1:12 PM on December 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by absquatulate at 1:12 PM on December 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
You've probably thought of this already, but how about gum?
posted by amtho at 1:37 PM on December 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by amtho at 1:37 PM on December 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
I like whole cloves for this. They're not brittle like cinnamon sticks, but you still need to chew gently.
posted by Metroid Baby at 1:47 PM on December 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Metroid Baby at 1:47 PM on December 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
Some cinnamon sticks are really brittle while others are really quite hard (they tend to be very tightly wound in the package so keep an eye out- the cinnamon taste is also stronger). Make sure that you try these ones before you look for alternatives because, yes, cinnamon sticks can be fun to chew on, and it's hard to find a good alternative.
I've heard that cinnamon can be great for the metabolism, so it's a good way to keep your mouth busy if you eat too much like I tend to.
posted by cacao at 1:54 PM on December 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
I've heard that cinnamon can be great for the metabolism, so it's a good way to keep your mouth busy if you eat too much like I tend to.
posted by cacao at 1:54 PM on December 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Can someone explain to me if miswak is meant to be chewed? I read that "it brushes better than toothbrushes" and that confuses me. Does it clean teeth via chewing or is it properly used as a stick-brush, lol? By the way, the more inventive answers make me so glad I asked this question.
(Gum is great but it lacks hardness and durability. I buy gum in those little 30-pack car holder thingies and can down it all in a few hours.)
posted by phaedon at 2:01 PM on December 6, 2013
(Gum is great but it lacks hardness and durability. I buy gum in those little 30-pack car holder thingies and can down it all in a few hours.)
posted by phaedon at 2:01 PM on December 6, 2013
They do make flavored Chewy Tubes. There are grape flavored Chewy Stixx (X-shaped) for sure. Check Amazon. On my phone, sorry for lack of links.
posted by deadcrow at 2:09 PM on December 6, 2013
posted by deadcrow at 2:09 PM on December 6, 2013
Response by poster: They do make flavored Chewy Tubes. There are grape flavored Chewy Stixx (X-shaped) for sure. Check Amazon. On my phone, sorry for lack of links.
omg
posted by phaedon at 2:45 PM on December 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
omg
posted by phaedon at 2:45 PM on December 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
IANADentist, but I have a suspicion that one of the reasons it's difficult to find "hard" items for adult chewing is because it's probably bad for your teeth. When I want something to chew, I usually go for multiple pieces of gum at a time. Doubling or trebling pieces makes for a much longer and chewier experience than a single piece, although the flavor isn't any longer lasting.
posted by Diagonalize at 2:51 PM on December 6, 2013
posted by Diagonalize at 2:51 PM on December 6, 2013
I had a weird thing when I was twelve were I ended up absent mindedly chewing on a leather book mark while I was reading. Probably not the healthiest thing to chew but better for my teeth than the copious quantities of Polos I used to crunch.
posted by Ranting Prophet of DOOM! at 2:59 PM on December 6, 2013
posted by Ranting Prophet of DOOM! at 2:59 PM on December 6, 2013
I briefly flirted with using miswak as intended. Normal usage is as a brush. You only chew on an end to break apart the fibers and form a brush.
posted by O9scar at 3:28 PM on December 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by O9scar at 3:28 PM on December 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
I have no idea if it's healthy, I find the texture of think rubber bands almost irresistable. And I can't believe I just shared that.
posted by smoke at 5:50 PM on December 6, 2013
posted by smoke at 5:50 PM on December 6, 2013
What the shit is that thing, I love it!
Um, it's a teether for a baby/toddler. Basically an unflavored human chew toy, available at your local Walmart or--in nicer versions---an upscale toy store. Here's one that baby kestrel will vouch for.
posted by kestrel251 at 7:38 PM on December 6, 2013
Um, it's a teether for a baby/toddler. Basically an unflavored human chew toy, available at your local Walmart or--in nicer versions---an upscale toy store. Here's one that baby kestrel will vouch for.
posted by kestrel251 at 7:38 PM on December 6, 2013
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posted by Madamina at 12:00 PM on December 6, 2013