Truth About Mewing: Can Tongue Posture Change Your Jawline?

Mewing promises jawline enhancement through tongue posture. But does it work? Learn the truth, risks, and expert insights.

Highlights:

Mewing involves pressing your tongue to the roof of your mouth to reshape your jaw
No scientific research supports mewing’s effectiveness in adults
Experts warn that improper techniques may cause dental issues

Mewing is a tongue posture technique that claims to reshape your jawline and improve facial structure. It involves pressing your tongue against the roof of your mouth while keeping your lips closed and breathing through your nose. Advocates suggest it can enhance facial aesthetics, help with conditions like sleep apnea, and even improve breathing ().

The practice is linked to British orthodontist John Mew and his son Michael Mew, who promote "orthotropics," a method focused on jaw posture. However, the British General Dental Council revoked John Mew’s license in 2019 and later expelled Michael Mew from the British Orthodontic Society in 2022. Despite this, Michael Mew continues practicing as an orthodontist.

How to Train Our Tongue?
Maintaining proper tongue posture as a preventive measure may help avoid several health issues such as misaligned teeth, poor breathing habits, and improper swallowing.

‘Did You Know?
Proper tongue posture may help with nasal breathing and minor oral posture improvements, but it won’t drastically alter facial structure. #dentalhealth #medindia’

How to Mew

While mewing techniques vary, the basic steps are:

Close your mouth and relax.
Position your lower front teeth just behind your upper front teeth.
Flatten your tongue against the roof of your mouth.
Keep the tip of your tongue right behind your front teeth without touching them.
Let your teeth gently touch but avoid clenching your jaw.
Hold for 10-20 seconds, gradually increasing to all-day practice.

Some people find the correct tongue posture by making the “ng” sound (like in "thing" or "wing"). Others focus on nasal breathing as a guide.

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Does Mewing Really Work?

Scientific evidence for mewing is lacking. There is no strong research confirming that tongue posture alone can significantly alter jawline shape, especially in adults whose bones have stopped growing. Orthodontists do use techniques involving tongue posture for treating conditions like sleep apnea, but mewing itself is not a medically recognized treatment.

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The researchers identified 32 gene regions that influenced facial features such as nose, lip, jaw, and brow shape.

Is Mewing Harmful?

Mewing is unlikely to cause harm if done naturally, but forcing your tongue into unnatural positions might lead to:

Misaligned teeth
Bite problems and speech issues
The need for orthodontic treatment to fix complications

The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) discourages unsupervised attempts to shift jaw alignment without professional guidance.

Mewing has gained popularity online, but its effectiveness remains unproven. If you’re curious, there’s likely no harm in trying it—as long as you’re not straining your jaw or expecting a dramatic transformation. If you’re looking for real jawline enhancement, a visit to an orthodontist might be a better bet.

Reference:

Mewing: Social Media's Alternative to Orthognathic Surgery? - (https://www.joms.org/article/S0278-2391(19)30349-0/fulltext)

Source-Medindia

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