Oral fixation refers to an intense or obsessive desire to place various items (some inappropriate) in the mouth. During early childhood development, infants go through an oral phase in which it is developmentally appropriate to put things in and around the mouth. This oral phase of exploration helps children learn about different things in the environment. For example, infants often bite, chew, and suck toys, clothing, paper, etc. They eventually outgrow much of this behavior, generally by the end of the toddler years. If a child does not outgrow this behavior, he/she may have an oral fixation.