They do it for many reasons. Teething, exploration, etc. The main reason, however, is to prepare their toungs and teeth for speaking. It wears and shapes their little mouths so before you know it, they'll be talking your ear off.
Why Do Babies Put Everything In Their Mouths?
Because their mouths, and their senses of taste, are the primary sensory organs until about the age of 8 months. And even afterwards it's still a first stop in terms of exploring things (touch is a very important first sense, too). Mouths are useful for exploring the texture of things, too.
It kind of makes sense. Babies need to learn what types of things to eat, and what not. It's a very basic, primary need. But because so much of their early life is about taste and feeling things within the mouth, it's just natural to explore the whole world that way; it's how they know how to interact, and they build on what they already know how to do.
Mouthing objects can also be a sign of teething. Most babies cut their first teeth around 7 months, although the normal age range for first tooth is huge (from before birth to after 12 months, in rare cases).
It kind of makes sense. Babies need to learn what types of things to eat, and what not. It's a very basic, primary need. But because so much of their early life is about taste and feeling things within the mouth, it's just natural to explore the whole world that way; it's how they know how to interact, and they build on what they already know how to do.
Mouthing objects can also be a sign of teething. Most babies cut their first teeth around 7 months, although the normal age range for first tooth is huge (from before birth to after 12 months, in rare cases).
The answer stems from our primitive ancestry.The instinct to to put things in their mouths and gnaw is driven by the need to strengthen the muscles in the jaw and tongue to prepare the bodies ability to eat solid foods.The first humans did not have access to processed babyfood o and the better an infants ability to eat solid foods the higher the chances for survival.