toddler gnawing on pacis at sleep times -- choking hazard?

[CassnBeth]

DD has all of her teeth (the last of the canines is nearly all the way in) but for some reason she has been gnawing on her pacifiers lately. Unfortunately, with all those teeth, she can destroy a pacifier in a matter of hours. If she had her pacis during the day I would just keep reminding her not to chew on them but she only uses them for sleeping times and I don't know what to do. I am getting worried about the bits of plastic being a choking hazard but I really don't want to get rid of DD's beloved pacis. I still had a pacifier until I was four so taking pacis away from a child so little I think she should still be nursing seems ridiculous. Does anyone know of a paci brand that is much tougher plastic? Or do I have to bite the bullet and take them away?

[AtYourCervices]

Take the pacifier away.

[la mamita]

Would she chew on those baby chewing rings? The really tough ones? Maybe she just needs some sort of self-soothing item in her mouth, but I wouldn't keep giving her pacifiers if she's destroying them, that doesn't sound safe.

[pbjmama]

I would get her something more appropriate to chew on for night time. Maybe chewy stix? She can still have the paci during the day and if the chewing passes you can decide about going back to it at night.

[Okapi]

How long has she been doing it? My DD went through a phase like that when she had teeth coming in, and after a couple of days we started getting worried, but then it stopped just as quickly as it started, like inside of a week. Also, she didn't chew in her sleep, just when she was awake. Is your DD chewing it when she is actually asleep, or just as she's falling to sleep? Have you tried removing it from her mouth after she's fallen asleep and seeing how she does? You could make sure she has one that's not damaged for bedtime, and then pull it out after she's asleep.