There are those who think this tongue position is good for your health and looks.
A squarer jaw, better sleep, and less mouth breathing are all goals of the mewing technique, which entails placing the tongue on the roof of the mouth. For some, mewing is a panacea for everything from sinusitis and jaw pain to speech difficulties.
There has been a flurry of activity online over the “how to mew” method. But specialists in oral and maxillofacial surgery say there isn’t enough proof to back up assertions that it can alter the shape of your jaw or make you healthier.
Mewing is defined and some research on jaw development and associated health problems, like as sleep apnea, is included in this article. Also covered: the importance of seeing a doctor if you have any concerns about your facial anatomy and how to spot and avoid misinformation around mewing.
Ways to Mew
People who meow typically rest their tongues on the floor of their mouths, but mewing cats do it on top of their tongues.2
London School of Facial Orthotropics. Methods based on myo functionality.
To mew, just follow these steps:
Put a stop to talking.
Put a little pressure on the space between your upper and lower front teeth, or touch them lightly.
Press your tongue firmly against the palate while your lips remain closed. The muscles in your jaw should be tightened.
To do this, position the tip of your tongue slightly behind your top front teeth. Your tongue should be in a position that is comparable to how it makes the sound “n” when you speak.
Keep for a minimum of twenty seconds. Carry out the task several times daily.
Those who regularly engage in mewing eventually condition their bodies to do it automatically. Proper tongue posture is what they call it.
Hard mewing is what?
When you bite down on your palate with all your might, you’re engaging in hard mewing. It is just as ill-founded as tongue chewing, which is gnawing on food with the tongue instead of the teeth.
Orthotropic, Mewing, and Related Theories
Dr. John Mew, an English orthodontist, first used the term “orthodontist” to describe a subspecialty of dentistry that focuses on moving the front teeth forward and expanding the upper jaw.1 The goal here is to keep the jaw from shrinking to an unhealthy proportion when teeth become larger.
Modern humans, say mewing technique creators Drs. John and Mike Mew, have smaller jaws than their predecessors. The Mews attribute this to a combination of environmental and behavioral variables, such as the availability of soft, easy-to-chew food and allergies that cause mouth breathing.
Teeth become crowded and crooked due to a reduced jaw. According to the Mews, it also makes the face look less attractive. They contend that mewing exercises can help with this by strengthening the jaw and aligning the teeth.
Benefits Said to Exist
The improvement of one’s face look is said to be the primary advantage of mewing. A more “ideal” proportion between the nose and chin can be achieved, as the Mews claim, by increasing the tone of the facial muscles through mewing, which in turn widens and sharpens the jawline.1
Mewing can also, according to some doctors, regular people, and influential persons on social media, do the following:1
Teeth straightening: It is believed that chewing expands the jawline, giving the teeth more room to align themselves naturally.
Mewing compels you to breathe in through your nose rather than your mouth. Theoretically, even when sleeping, the mouth breathing should decrease as the mewing position becomes more normal.
Resolve sleep apnea: Mewing is believed to alleviate snoring and sleep apnea by decreasing mouth breathing, which opens up the upper airway and forces it to expand.
A common belief is that mewing helps in swallowing by engaging the muscles involved and checking that the tongue is correctly functioning to aid in the process.
Improve coordination of the tongue and other muscles involved in speech by strengthening facial muscles and improving tongue posture. Mewing is believed to be a treatment for speech issues.
Those who advocate for mewing believe that by gradually straightening and strengthening the jaw, jaw pain can be gradually reduced.
As a means of relieving and preventing sinusitis, mewing is believed to expand airways and encourage sinus drainage.
Is Mewing Effective?
Mewing won’t magically transform your appearance, according to the available evidence. Furthermore, the consequences of mewing have not been investigated in any reliable, peer-reviewed research.
John Mew has stated that the proof is in his own children. His daughter has misaligned teeth and a deformed jaw since she was breastfed until she was four years old and never taught to meow. Mike Mew, in contrast, has a square, powerful jaw, learned to meow, and eats abrasive foods.
Still, the Mews do bring up some valid points. According to studies, people’s jaws are actually shrinking.4 Health problems like sleep apnea, mouth breathing, and misaligned teeth have been associated with this.
Indeed, studies have connected jaw development to “oral posture,” or the way the teeth and tongue are positioned.4 Researchers have come up with solutions that are similar to what the Mews are pushing for.
Chewing gum and eating harder meals, especially as a kid, can aid with jaw development, according to researchers. To help kids’ jaws grow in a healthy way, they suggest breathing and swallowing activities.
Options Other Than Mewing
There are tried-and-true conventional remedies that don’t include mewing.
Metal braces, transparent braces, or aligners are the normal tools for the job when it comes to straightening teeth that are misaligned. Aligners are detachable, unlike traditional braces, which remain in place for months or even years.
Both immediate and long-term interventions are available for the correction of mouth breathing. Nighttime use of custom mouth guards or other wearable equipment (e.g., jaw straps or tapes) to close the jaw is an option. Muscle re-training exercises, fixed oral prostheses called palate expanders, and jaw expansion surgery are all options for long-term treatments to mouth closure.
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is one option for treating sleep apnea. This method involves using a machine that is attached to a customized face mask to gently press on the airways, ensuring that they remain open as you sleep. Surgery to widen airways is an option for patients who find CPAP treatment too uncomfortable.
As a group, swallowing difficulties are known as dysphagia, and there is a wide range of possible causes and therapies for these conditions. An occlusal splint, a detachable mouth guard that stabilizes and supports the jaw joints and muscles, is one possible treatment for certain temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) that cause swallowing difficulties.
If you or someone you know is struggling with pronouncing certain sounds, words, or sentence patterns, speech therapy may be able to help. Therapists specializing in speech and language may employ a variety of techniques, including but not limited to: imitation, practice pronouncing words with emphasized or prolonged sounds, and repetition.
In most cases, non-invasive methods can alleviate TMJ dysfunction and pain. You can alleviate TMJ pain by sleeping on your back (never your stomach), improving your posture, strengthening your jaw muscles with workouts, and avoiding habits like teeth grinding and nail biting. Surgical options, such temporomandibular joint replacement, are accessible in cases where less invasive methods have failed.
In most cases, medication is unnecessary for the natural resolution of sinusitis. It may be required to use antibiotics in some instances. A saline nasal spray, a warm compress applied to the forehead and nose, or steam inhaled from a hot shower or basin are some more methods for alleviating sinus pressure and pain.The 13th Controversy: Mewing
John Mew was more concerned with aesthetics than with the practical concerns of straightening teeth or fixing an overbite. Mewing and palate expanders become tools in his toolbox for treating patients. This is seen as a departure from the conventional wisdom on orthodontic treatment, such as braces.
However, the controversy does not stop there. The incel (involuntary celibate) movement is associated with mewing. A group of males who feel shame over their lack of sexual activity have started an online movement and are blaming women and society for it.
Video of Mike Mew delivering a speech went viral on an incel message board in 2014, capturing the attention of many in the movement. Mew started interacting with people on the forum, where many were attempting to change their appearance in order to break their celibate status. The idea of mewing has since been vaguely linked to the incel movement. Still, some academics have argued that the ideas associated with mewing warrant additional study, and the practice has begun to receive attention in more mainstream online spaces.14
John Mew established the London School of Facial Orthotropics, and both of his sons are connected with it. The issue surrounding mewing was one reason John Mew’s license was revoked. Mike Mew was also expelled from the British Orthodontic Society.
Summary
When you mew, you push your tongue on your palate to build up your jaw muscles and widen your jaw opening. Mewing may have gone widespread due to anecdotal claims about its ability to improve facial shape, sleep, and alleviate jaw pain, but there is absolutely no research to back up these claims.
It is not advised to use mewing as a means to change the structure of your jaw or teeth. Seek the advice of a medical professional for an assessment if you are worried about any symptoms or health issues you may be experiencing.
Wayne Probert is a senior reporter at Zobuz, covering state and national politics, and he is a grantee with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. Before joining Zobuz, he worked as a freelance journalist in Kentucky, having been published by dozens of outlets including NPR, the Center for Media.
