Active discussions

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

Bizarre Question - Anyone else chewing their tongue??

26 replies

LifesComplicated · 21/03/2011 16:43

Hi, I know this is a bizarre long-shot, but I wondered if anyone else is experiencing or has experienced similar, and if it's linked to pg?

I'm 35 weeks pg and for the past 3 weeks I've been obsessed with chewing my own tongue. I can't get enough of it! I really chew down on the whole tongue, almost as if Im trying to chew the thing off, and I find it really satisfying and wierdly addictive!

I've never chewed my tongue when younger or when not pg. So I'm wondering if there's any link. Also it's crossed my mind that maybe it's because I'm veggie - could the baby be craving meat (in the form of my tongue???!).

Totally bizarre! Confused

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
ALovelyBunchOfCoconuts · 21/03/2011 17:54

No experience in pregnancy sorry but thought I would tell you that my DH chews his own tongue. All down the side. If he does it then it can't always be linked to pregnancy, but I really have no idea regarding being vegetarian. Strange people Grin

AllisonJuarez · 11/04/2011 22:28

I had to join this site just so I could answer your question. I found this through a search on this subject, because I do the EXACT same thing. This is my third pregnancy, and with each one, I started chewing my tongue. After each of my pregnancies, I stopped chewing, but then started back up again once I was pregnant again. I am not really sure what causes it. I thought maybe it might be due to Pica, which is common in pregnant women. I don't know. But I wanted to make sure that you knew that you weren't alone in this. :)

IntentionallyBlank · 11/04/2011 23:29

Are you getting enough iron?

Original poster
LifesComplicated · 12/04/2011 17:42

Wow Allison - thanks for joining MN in order to post a reply to my question - that's so nice of you and has helped to reassure me Im not the only person in the world who does this whilst pregnant! I think you're right - it could be a pica-related thing, and I also think that IntentionallyBlank may be onto something when you queury the link with iron - I don't think I'm getting nearly enough iron so it could be linked to that. Hmm... all very mysterious!
Thanks for your posts on this.

OP posts:
GreenKat · 13/04/2011 16:51

I'm 37 weeks and have been tongue chewing for the last week - it's getting quite sore now! Don't think mine is iron related though as my iron levels hardly dropped when they were measured at 34 weeks from the start of the pg. Glad i am not alone in this quite bizzare behaviour! I was going to ask the midwife about it yesterday but i forgot.

juneau · 13/04/2011 17:06

Me too! I'm 35 weeks and have been chewing my tongue for the past 2-3 weeks. I've also been wanting to eat soap, so in my case I think it is pica. My iron is apparently fine, because I asked my MW last week at my check-up, but I do find that if I eat a big pile of green leafy veg I feel a bit better for a day or so.

zebedeek7 · 30/01/2013 21:55

Yes it is bizarre, so I thought myself coz I'm doin exactly the same. I'm 32 weeks and have been doing it for the past 2 months. I can't stop. At first I thought I was thirsty all the time, my mouth felt dry. I know I'm not that thirsty because I have cups of tea or other drinks in the day, but nothing satisfies the feeling more than Ice cold water!! At home I can just stick my head under the cold tap and drink. It HAS to be ice cold or it doesnt cut it, and if i had an ice machine i could prob spend the day eating it. Another thing is, I dont have to swallow it, as long as the water is in my mouth it relieves the need (for a bit). I had to ask the midwife because I was concerned i could have gestational diabetes (in pregnancy), as symptoms include excessive thirst. I dont fall into the risk factor "box" for this, still she checked my urine which was fine. her n my fiance pretty much laughed at me for thinking it (still you never know). During the same time I also developed a need to suck my bath sponge when having a bath, and tasting the soapy bath water and spitting it out had the same effect. I continue to do this, and to my flannel or even just a guggle of the water and trickle it out. Again I know this sounds really bizzare! At first I didnt think anything of it until a friend said she knew someone who craved puddle water (she didnt drink it of course but every time she passed one she wanted some). So I thought the soapy water thing was a craving. It gets better - I also feel the need to collect a pile of bubbles from the soapy dish water and put them in my mouth. I try my best to spit them out. My mother thinks its disgusting but I just cant help myself. This however, is something I have done time to time in the past but now its excessive. When it snows I generally feel the urge to eat some, but the urge was too strong during pregnancy. All these strange things I feel the need to do orally, I have no idea what they mean, or why, but they have to be pregnancy linked. I have read about Pica, which talks of ice, and soap cravings. but i dont want to eat soap, just the bubbly soap water it produces... trying my best to resist all these cravings, but the tongue chewing is' getting on my nerves. plus I'm weeing enough anyway, with all this extra water I'm just back to the toilet all day long. tongue chewing can also be down to stress which I'm under but Im swaying to the Pica thing. cant find alot online about all this, but maybe noone wants to admit such cravings??!! But there, its out, and I'm off for some ice cold water, I had a bath earlier lol x

Zunammi · 10/11/2014 23:19

I am having this issue as well. My tongue just feels so yummy to chew on! I am 31 weeks pregnant with twins. Will it stop after they are born?

pixie185 · 16/04/2015 19:33

I realize that it's years since this thread was begun, but I wanted to write to say YES! and also THANK YOU!

I am 33 weeks pregnant and the tongue-chewing/tongue-sucking thing has been driving me crazy for about a month. I am so grateful that I'm not alone in this. Thank you all for posting.

This pregnancy stuff is super-weird :-)

pixie185 · 16/04/2015 19:34

I realize that it's years since this thread was begun, but I wanted to write to say YES! and also THANK YOU!

I am 33 weeks pregnant and the tongue-chewing/tongue-sucking thing has been driving me crazy for about a month. I am so grateful that I'm not alone in this. Thank you all for posting.

This pregnancy stuff is super-weird :-)

Syd35 · 17/04/2015 06:26

Haha yes another tongue chewer here glad I'm not weird now lol.

Kayleighge · 04/02/2016 19:12

I cannot stop sucking/chewing my tongue!! I'm 32 weeks pregnant and for the past few weeks have been addicted to it. I chew sponges and flannels all
Have to be soaked in bath water! It's the strangest thing. Does this stop after birth?

Someone also mentioned low iron levels. My midwife has just told me I'm aneamic what does this have to do with tongue sucking?

roxysnowboarder2014 · 08/02/2017 23:13

My baby is 3 months and I've only just realised I do this. I wake up with marks on my tongue and I do it during the day more when I'm tired, like I fold my tongue in and bite down. I think I clench at night and have caused trauma to my tooth making it go grey at the front 😔 going to dentist in two weeks.

happywifey · 08/07/2017 16:09

Yup tongue chewer also here in 2017. I realise this is an old thread but am currently 32 weeks and have started chewing, scraping and rolling my tongue and goodness it feels so good. My iron levels are low too unsure if the link though?

Rayan2019 · 24/01/2019 05:14

Hello I'm new here and I was searching this question to see if anyone else had experienced tongue chewing during pregnancy. Funnily enough I have always been a tongue chewer since a child. Things like watching my mum sweep floors would set it off and it still does if I'm sweeping....yes it's weird lol. Since getting into my second and third trimester my tongue chewing habit has got much worse. I'm doing it so much I now have tongue ulcers. Also I'm crunching ice cubes about 3 times a day and have a huge urge to chew on tooth brush bristles....I believe I have a bad case of pica related cravings....could also suggest I have low or iron levels as craving eating ice is related to anemia. It is bizarre, but your body does what it needs to do 😂 lol.

Clueless21 · 23/03/2020 16:52

2020 Tongue Chewer here! 36 weeks preg with twins - prob started in earnest about a month ago. Hadn't had any other symptoms but reading about the toothbrush bristles just made me think how nice that would feel.... So weird

Duemarch2021 · 02/02/2021 01:22

Omg sorry to resurrect this thread!! I literly google searched my feelings and this came up!!! I am currently 35 weeks pregnant and have been finding that chewing on my toothbrush and scrubbing my mouth with my toothbrush feels amazing! Its all of a sudde. Happenes and i also find chewing my tongue feels really good and the urge to bite ice and guzzle cold drinks! Reading this thread and reading about putting bubbles in ypur mouth has now made me.crave that too... how weird!! I really want to know the science behind this!!!....

laura2109 · 02/02/2021 09:18

Interesting. As for me, I don't chew my tongue, rather I suck it, lol, as though I'm sucking on a particularly tasty sweet, yet there's nothing in my mouth. I also have a daily craving of bitter pg tea, I add crushed clove, cinnamon, cardamom, a little sugar and leave the tea bag in for ages....I'll have one latter!!!

laura2109 · 02/02/2021 09:19

@Duemarch2021 gosh I didn't realise it was a recycled thread!!

Duemarch2021 · 02/02/2021 20:45

Yep looks like its years old hahaha.. but it popped up on google and i couldnt believe it was a thing.... mm.. i crave fizzy cold drinks.. anything that stimulates my mouth 😂 xxx

Azureeeeeeee · 28/08/2021 01:41

Im glad i found this. Ive been chewing my tongue like crazy. It tastes so good. It doesnt hurt it anymore and i cant stop. Just found out i am veryyy anemic. And i am wondering if this is pica and related. Nothing tastes better or gives me more dopamine lol. I hope its not bad for me.

Firstimemomma · 14/09/2021 21:18

I know this is so old, but I wanted to comment in case others came searching still, like I did. I am SO happy I found this thread. I’m 25 weeks pregnant and have been chewing my tongue like crazy. I have recently begun craving the scent of pinesol, so after reading this thread, I’m assuming it’s the beginning of pica. Thank you everyone!

Azureeeeeeee · 15/09/2021 02:55

Im pretty dang sure its pica!! I have been incredibly anemic and chewing my tongue the whole time. It was super addictive and tasted better than anything ever. I have been taking iron and am feeling better. I realized that i havent chewed my tongue in a couple weeks. I went to do it and it doesn't taste good or close the the same at all. This was a habit i thought that was impossible to break. It was definitely pica from being anemic.

MSDowney36 · 23/09/2021 16:43

28wks tomorrow, second pregnancy, chewed my tongue on both pregnancies! I think I was slightly anaemic last pregnancy and I think I asked about the weird tongue chewing but don’t remember getting any sort of real answer 🤷🏻‍♀️ I’m doing it again now with baby #2. I also really enjoy brushing my tongue with my toothbrush and crunching ice and I found last pregnancy I really liked eating cotton candy. Not a healthy treat lol but the texture from rolling it across my tongue as it melts feels nice. That makes me think it’s pica related because of wanting to eat something “gritty”…who knows, pregnancy is weird! Maybe I’ll add some extra iron in this time and see if that helps.

ShelbieFx · 04/03/2024 23:07

2024 - I am going crazy chewing my tongue, I mentioned to my midwife about potentially having pica and she made a joke about not eating enough (as I have gestational diabetes and tend to miss blood sugar readings throughout the day due to not eating) but I need something else to curb this itch, it’s almost like a drug just chewing/sucking my tongue through the side of my teeth, I’ve been managing with chewing sponges with water but I can’t do that out in public so my tongue is killing throughout the day, sometimes I don’t even know I’m doing it but feel so satisfied when I am, I have really sensitive teeth and the thought of chewing ice makes me cringe, anyone any suggestions on other things I can chew to try and curb this. Almost 31 weeks - I had this in my 1st pregnancy too and now in my 2nd. SEND HELP lol

Swipe left for the next trending thread