Mewing is a facial reconstructing technique that involves keeping your tongue on the roof of your mouth to change your jawline's shape. Some supporters claim that if you mew, you can reshape your face for a more defined jawline — while also helping jaw pain, breathing, or orthodontic issues.
While forcing your tongue into an unnatural position can lead to tongue thrusting. This disorder can change the alignment of teeth, alter a patient's bite, cause speech problems, and swallowing issues.
Start with just 30 minutes a day and gradually work your way to more time everyday. When you're learning how to mew, it's more important to have the correct mewing posture than worry about how long you mew every day. Remember: mewing isn't an exercise. A new way of breathing and positioning your tongue.
However, results—particularly facial appearance—may not be visible for quite some time, online mewing sites warn. Mewingpedia, for example, says most people will see results in 3 to 6 months, but others may need to wait 1 to 2 years.
How do I know if I'm mewing correctly? In a proper mewing tongue position, the entire tongue — including the back — is suctioned against the top of the mouth, with the tip of the tongue resting just behind but not touching the teeth.
Should your teeth touch when mewing? Yes, your teeth should gently touch while mewing. Don't press your teeth hard against one another. Your bottom center teeth should lightly rest against the back of your front center teeth.
We also know that mewing has the potential to cause as many problems as it solves. It can cause crooked teeth rather than correcting them, and it can lead to bite problems like TMJ. Without clinical trials, we don't know how common these complications are, and whether the results are more positive or negative.
Conclusion. Mewing is a great technique that can help you strengthen your jaw muscles, improve your breathing, and bring change to the overall face construction. By keeping your lips closed and practicing proper tongue posture, you can sleep better while still mewing.
While it's unlikely mewing will successfully change your jawline or teeth, trying to alter your jaw structure without healthcare provider guidance can be risky. The AAO warns mewing shouldn't be used to try to change your teeth or jaw line.
Why mewing is controversial. The term "mewing" was coined by British dentist John Mew and his son, Mike Mew. They preached the idea of altering face shapes and jawlines through facial exercises, though most dentists agree in denouncing their claims – one dentist told The New York Times that Mew was "a total idiot."
Age is a significant factor when it comes to the effectiveness of mewing. Generally speaking, the older one is, the less effective mewing is likely to be. This is due to the simple fact that the more developed the body is, the harder it is harder to create change.
Improper tongue posture is one of the main reasons mewing might feel uncomfortable. Perhaps you are not placing your tongue on the palate as you should or are just pushing with the tip of your tongue.
The teeth should not touch ever – except when swallowing. This comes as a big surprise to most people. When not chewing or swallowing, the tip of the tongue should rest gently on the tip and back of the lower incisors.
TL;DR — Yes, mewing has the potential to sharpen the jawline and "eliminate the 'double chin' for your perfect selfie," says Higgins. But once the flash goes off, let your mouth and muscles relax.
Proper Tongue Posture While Sleeping
It should be resting at the roof of your mouth, particularly behind the front top teeth. In fact, there's a connection happening in that area behind the teeth when the tongue is resting there. By making this connection, it helps signal the release of dopamine and serotonin.
"The main technique for mewing is to have your lips closed with your front bottom teeth just behind the back of your front upper teeth, without them touching," Jones explains. "Next, use your tongue to cover the entire upper palate of your mouth.
Asymmetrical mewing can cause asymmetrical faces. So if you're trying to create an asymmetrical face, you might want to consider making your mewing more symmetrical. Mewing should be asymmetrical. But if the asymmetry level is worse, it can create an asymmetrical face.
When we say bite, what we're talking about is the way your upper and lower jaw come together. Your upper teeth should fit slightly over your lower teeth and the points of your molars should fit the grooves of the opposite molar. If your jaw lines up like this, you most likely have a healthy bite.
Swallowing is a huge part of the mewing process and should feel natural. When we're talking about the mewing process itself, feeling a slight pressure on your face is a sign that you're doing it right. This is because you're keeping your tongue firmly pressed against the roof of your mouth.
Mew highly recommends mastic gum because it offers various health benefits and maintains its durability better than most other gums. If you do try mewing gum, begin by chewing it for about two to three hours each day. If your jaw begins to feel sore after a few days of chewing, take a break.
Children up to 12 years of age can benefit the most from mewing. Their bones are still malleable, and the results usually come fast.