What Is Mewing, Anyway? Experts Unpack The Buzzy Claims

Every time I see some magical skin care claim that requires absolutely no effort at all, I'm dubious. Call me cynical, but I need more than a TikTok endorsement. Please, show me the receipts! 

"Mewing” is a facial posture that claims to change the shape of your jawline using nothing but your own tongue. "The thought is that by placing the tongue to the roof of the mouth and pushing upward and behind the upper teeth that it can make the jaw more defined, stronger, and more pronounced if you do it about 30 minutes a day," explains plastic surgeon Cat Chang, M.D., founder of NAKEDBEAUTY MD.

To be clear, this is not a medical technique. It was created by an orthodontist in the 1970s (more on that in a moment) but has received quite a lot of buzz on social media as of late. Some creators claim it helps them "eliminate a double chin" and change their face shape in photos—but again, it's a theory not based on any medical evidence. 

We can credit the trend to UK-based orthodontist John Mew (that's where the name comes from), who coined the term "orthotropics," an alternative approach to orthodontics that focuses on guiding the growth of facial bones and correcting oral and head posture.

"It was initially focused on treating children with orthodontic and maxillofacial issues to take advantage of the fact that, in these patients, the teeth and facial skeleton were still growing," explains board-certified plastic surgeon Peter Lee, M.D., CEO of Wave Plastic Surgery. "But, over time Dr. Mew and his son [Michael], who is also an orthodontist, have expanded the population of patients who, in their view, are candidates for orthotropics to include adults."

"The Mews claim that if you 'make a concerted effort to get your tongue on the roof of your mouth and chew more,' you will have a more defined and sculpted jawline along with improved bone structure," orthodontist Erin Fraundorf, DMD, MSD, founder of Boca Orthodontic + Whitening Studio, tells mindbodygreen. 

I repeat: The concept of mewing does not come with any science-backed benefits. That said, you can find thousands of anecdotal accounts on TikTok to back its transformative power—at least for the few seconds it takes to snap a picture. 

"Mewing is great when posing for photos, but it does not alter the jawline permanently," says Chang. "If you did this at less than 6 months old, then maybe it would work, as the bones are malleable to pressure." But as an adult, you likely won't make any long-term adjustments from tongue pressure alone. 

That's not to say your tongue posture isn't important. "The tongue is one of the strongest muscles in your entire body," says Fraundorf. "While its posture absolutely plays an important role in oral health, dental and skeletal growth, development, and airway, mewing oversimplifies the complexities of this process." 

Both Fraundorf and Chang agree: You cannot "alter your face shape" just by changing your tongue's resting position. "Placing the tongue on the roof of the mouth does lift the jaw and make it appear tighter, but as mentioned, this is only temporary," adds Chang. Great for photos, fine, but it won't last. 

Depending on the amount of pressure you place on the backs of your teeth, Fraundorf says you may experience tooth mobility or misalignment, worsening of the bite, jaw pain, or excess tooth wear from mewing long term. 

These aren't super likely, especially if you're only mewing in photos—according to Chang, the only common "side effect" is that it doesn't actually, well, work. "I think in the worst case, it wastes your time. There is no science behind it, just anecdotes and no published data. I think it's important for people to be well informed and have appropriate expectations," she says. 

There is no at-home practice that will alter your bone structure. "To think you can change the skeletal structure of your face after adolescence just simply isn't true," states Chang.