Numbness in the mouth and tongue during the 39th week of pregnancy can be due to a variety of things. Bell's Palsy is a facial muscle condition that can have an effect on women during pregnancy. If your numbness happens after eating, it is also possible you are suffering from allergic reactions to the food you are consuming. Other possibilities include nerve compression and spine compression.
Bell's Palsy
Bell's Palsy is a temporary condition that results from damage of the seventh cranial nerve. The condition causes temporary paralysis of the face muscles, which also affects the mouth and tongue. Bell's Palsy symptoms often affect only one side of the face. While anyone can get Bell's Palsy, any ailment or state that compromises your immune system, such as your third trimester of pregnancy, can put you at a higher risk of getting the condition. Talk to your doctor if you feel the numbness linger after you have finished eating.
Latex Allergy
Allergies, specifically a latex allergy, can result in temporary numbness of the mouth and tongue when you are exposed to the product itself or a food product it has a cross reaction with. Cross reactions are the items that have an allergic connection the product you are allergic to. As a result, if you have a latex allergy, you will often react negatively to banana, soy, pineapple, kiwi fruit and other fruits. In severe allergic cases, numbness, in addition to swelling, can occur.
Spinal Cord Compression
Spinal cord compression can create some numbness in your lower back that can radiate up to your face and even your mouth and tongue. During your third trimester, your child's weight will be at its highest, putting the most pressure on you and your spine. As a result, spinal cord compression can commonly occur, resulting in pain and numbness in the mouth and tongue. If you move your neck while chewing, this may further aggravate the condition.
Nerve Compression
In addition to spinal cord compression, a compressed nerve in either your leg, back or neck can result in temporary numbness that radiates up to your mouth and tongue. While this may continue after eating, the act of moving your jaw and swallowing may further aggravate the compressed nerve, resulting in further numbness and potential pain in your mouth and face. The compressed nerve could be a result of the extreme weight of your child at this point in pregnancy.