What Is ‘Mewing’? How to Do It and Whether It Works

Mewing is a beauty trend involving a simple, strategic move of the tongue. Proponents of mewing claim it can chisel the jaw, straighten teeth, improve breathing, and correct orthodontic issues without braces or surgery.

“The ‘mewing’ concept is the idea that the tongue should be placed against the roof of the mouth in order to prevent misalignment of the jaw,” says Joyce Kahng, DDS, owner of Orange and Magnolia Dental Studio in Costa Mesa, California.

Most facial exercises populating the pages of YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram aim to minimize wrinkles or diminish a double chin. But “mewing,” a viral craze with more than 2.1 billion views on TikTok alone, purports to do much more.

What Is Orthotropics?

Most experts, including Isaac Chinitz, DDS, a clinical assistant professor of dental medicine at Touro College of Dental Medicine in Hawthorne, New York, say genetics primarily determine jaw size and shape.

Enter orthotropics. The Mews’ brand of orthodontics aims to correct structural irregularities and improve facial appearance by correcting “oral posture,” or the alignment of the teeth, lips, tongue, and jaw, Dr. Kahng says.

“When the teeth and tongue are correctly aligned, the jaw is in its ideal position. This is known as ‘optimal oral posture,’ and the jaw is able to move freely and easily,” Kahng says. “When the teeth and tongue are misaligned, the jaw can become misaligned as well, leading to jaw pain, headaches, and other issues.”

Orthotropics also uses palate expanders. “Palate expanders are an orthodontic appliance that gradually widens your palate, or upper jaw, over time with control,” explains Jaclyn Tomsic, MD, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon based in Cleveland. “They are medical grade and should only be applied by a licensed dental professional, such as an orthodontist. The application of this appliance by anyone other than a licensed dental professional is not recommended and can cause irreversible damage.”

The defining aspect of mewing is a specific tongue position, Kahng explains, which people should maintain at all times, even when drinking liquids. While most people rest their tongues on the bottom of their mouth, mewing requires the tongue to rest flush with the top of the mouth instead. This may take some time, but proponents say it eventually becomes second nature.

Here is a typical mewing exercise:

1. Close your mouth, including the lips, so that your teeth are touching and your lips are together.
2. Relax your tongue completely.
3. Place the body of your tongue on the roof of your mouth, with the tip of your tongue near the back of the upper front teeth.
4. Maintain this posture for as long as possible and repeat regularly.

Although some people claim to see results within weeks, others say it takes months or even years. Scott Cardall, DMD, owner of Orem Orthodontics in Utah, says a scientific study would be necessary to assess how many hours it would take to see results — if any were achievable — and no such objective research exists.

“Hypothetically, if facial changes are possible to some mild degree with mewing, it would likely require significantly more time than the few minutes a day that most seem to engage in it,” Dr. Cardall says.

Dr. Chinitz, Dr. Tomsic, and Mitchell Levine, DMD, president of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine and associate professor of orthodontics at St. Louis University in Missouri, suggest that there is no reliable evidence to support claims that mewing is effective.

Dr. Levine says there is likewise little research on how oral posture generally affects health, but he, Chinitz, Tomsic, and Kahng say certain aspects of the orthotropics concept do have merit.

“Any changes to oral posture can impact the mouth,” Chinitz says.

For example, if the tongue is constantly pushing forward — a phenomenon known as tongue thrust — rather than resting on the palate, Chinitz says it could cause the teeth to protrude slightly. And if the teeth are constantly grinding or clenching rather than resting slightly apart, they may wear down.

Jaw size and placement can also affect health, Tomsic, Chinitz, and Levine say.

“In a patient who has a small upper or lower jaw, there is less room for the tongue to sit comfortably within the oral cavity, thus applying unnatural pressure on the teeth and bone; if the discrepancy is significant, this can lead to teeth movement and difficulty breathing and sleep apnea due to decreased space in the mouth and throat,” says Tomsic.

• Resolve sleep apnea
• Improve breathing and swallowing
• Relieve joint pain
• Alleviate sinusitis

However, they emphasize that issues like breathing difficulties and irregular tongue, teeth, and jaw placement are complex. Moreover, Levine says some problems, such as sleep apnea, can involve multiple nonanatomic factors and may even be dangerous if not properly addressed. If you have concerns, Tomsic, Levine, and Chinitz advise seeking help from a qualified professional.

Tongue, teeth, and jaw placement can affect health and appearance, but changes to these structures must happen either while a child is developing or using advanced methods, such as braces or corrective surgery. Palate expanders can also help to widen a narrow upper palate during development, Chinitz and Tomsic say, but these are usually only effective in people up to 15 years old. Tongue pressure alone, they say, would not yield similar results, especially once the mouth is fully formed.

Chinitz says that results from mewing would be “nearly impossible to actually achieve.”

“Research shows that a minimum of six hours per day of force on teeth is required for them to change position. And that is only to affect the smallest amount of change. Even at 12 hours per day, change is minimal and would relapse back to its original position when the force is removed,” Chinitz says. “This would mean mewing more than would be likely possible during any given day. Additionally, the forces applied by mewing are not strong enough to get true palatal expansion, meaning any and all effects would be on the teeth rather than to the jawline or bone.”

He says the concept may work during very early childhood before the sutures within the bony structures of the mouth have fused. But it would only influence the upper jaw. In the lower jaw, he says, bones are fused at birth and can’t be altered or expanded without surgery.

“There is no evidence to suggest that mewing can actually change facial shape,” he says.

Cardall agrees, saying many of the Mews’ hypotheses are based on concepts with some validity in development and biology. “However, all concepts must ultimately pass through the refiner’s fire of scientific study,” he says. “The concept of mewing, as well as the other concepts of John Mew, have not passed these tests.”

“It is doubtful that mewing in any amount could produce the types of results that are popularly claimed, such as developing a significantly different jawline,” Cardall says.

Consistent use of any facial muscles could cause them to strengthen and become more prominent, he explains. But the results — if any — would be slight.

Although mewing is unlikely to produce much benefit, it probably won’t hurt, Cardall says. Yet he and Tomsic say that overuse of the facial muscles and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) could produce adverse effects, such as:

• Fatigue
• Pain
• Dysfunction

Tomsic says it may also worsen TMJ pain or dysfunction.

If mewing were successful in repositioning or reshaping the jaws, Chinitz says it could cause the jaws and teeth to become misaligned. That could contribute to complications like bite issues, loose or chipped teeth, gum recession, and jaw pain.

Experts also note that DIY techniques aren’t a substitute for medical care and that issues like sleep apnea, jaw misalignment, and breathing and swallowing difficulties warrant professional attention.

“Mewing is an example of a common phenomenon found in many areas, but especially in medicine — a promised ‘easy fix’ to a difficult problem,” Cardall says.

• Mewing is a technique that involves positioning your tongue at the roof of your mouth to supposedly help correct various medical and cosmetic conditions, such as sleep apnea and uneven teeth alignments.
• It has gained popularity on social media, but experts say there is no reliable scientific evidence backing up these claims.
• The shape of your jaw and face is largely genetic, and you would likely need professional help to change the appearance, for example, through braces or surgery.
• If you’re curious about improving your oral or facial health, consult with a qualified dental professional, or an oral or maxillofacial surgeon who specializes in this area. They may refer you to a orofacial myofunctional therapist.