If you’ve spent time on TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube, you’ve probably encountered mewing.
The idea sounds simple: place your tongue against the roof of your mouth, maintain the position, and over time your jawline supposedly becomes sharper while your teeth become straighter. For someone in Hillsboro, OR who wants a more defined profile or a straighter smile, it can sound much easier than braces or Invisalign.
But does it actually work?
Current scientific evidence does not show that DIY mewing can reliably reshape your jawline or straighten crooked teeth.
There is an important difference between healthy tongue posture and the online claims surrounding mewing. Understanding that difference can help you avoid spending months trying to force a change that isn’t supported by orthodontic evidence.
What Is Mewing?
Mewing is a technique popularized online that involves intentionally positioning the tongue against the roof of the mouth.
People promoting the technique claim it can:
- Define the jawline
- Make the chin look stronger
- Widen the upper jaw
- Straighten teeth
- Improve facial symmetry
- Change the overall shape of the face
The American Association of Orthodontists says there is no scientific evidence supporting these broad facial-restructuring claims. Facial appearance is influenced by genetics, bone growth, muscle development and numerous other factors. Simply changing tongue placement isn’t enough to precisely reshape those structures.
That doesn’t mean tongue posture is irrelevant.
It means normal oral function should not be confused with DIY orthodontic treatment.
Can Mewing Actually Change Your Jawline?
There is no reliable evidence that mewing can dramatically reshape an individual’s jawline.
Your facial profile depends on the relationship between your jawbones, teeth, facial bones, muscles and soft tissues. You cannot precisely reposition those structures simply by consciously pressing your tongue against your palate. This becomes especially important for adults whose facial growth is largely complete.
Orthodontic treatment works differently. Braces and aligners use controlled forces to move teeth according to a professionally developed treatment plan. In more significant skeletal cases, other forms of treatment may be necessary.
The AAO describes facial restructuring as a complex process involving the jaw, facial bones and soft tissue rather than something that can be achieved simply through tongue positioning.
Can Mewing Straighten Crooked Teeth?
Mewing has not been shown to reliably straighten crooked teeth.
Teeth move in response to controlled forces applied over time. That’s the basic principle behind orthodontic treatment.
At Laidlaw Orthodontics, traditional braces use brackets and wires to apply gentle pressure to move teeth into planned positions. Invisalign uses a series of custom-made clear aligners to gradually move teeth according to Dr. Laidlaw’s treatment plan.
Mewing doesn’t offer that level of control.
If you have:
- Crowded teeth
- Gaps
- An overbite
- An underbite
- A crossbite
- Rotated teeth
- Misaligned teeth
forcing your tongue into a particular position isn’t a substitute for an orthodontic examination.
Why Do Some Mewing Before-and-After Photos Look Convincing?
This is one reason the trend can be difficult to evaluate.
Facial photographs are extremely sensitive to changes in:
- Lighting
- Camera angle
- Head position
- Facial expression
- Weight
- Age
- Beard or hairstyle
- Camera lens and distance
A person’s face can look significantly different in two photographs without any meaningful skeletal change. A before-and-after image also cannot prove what caused the change.
So if someone posts a photo saying:
“I mewed for two years and this happened.”
The photograph doesn’t establish that mewing caused the difference. Correlation isn’t proof of causation.
Can Mewing Be Harmful?
Trying to maintain a comfortable, natural tongue posture is different from aggressively forcing your tongue against your palate for long periods. The AAO warns that improper or excessive tongue pressure can potentially contribute to unwanted tooth movement, bite changes, speech problems and other orthodontic issues.
If you’ve been practicing aggressive mewing and notice:
- A change in your bite
- New tooth spacing
- Increasing crowding
- Jaw discomfort
- Tongue soreness
- Speech changes
- Difficulty keeping your tongue comfortable
stop forcing the position and speak with an orthodontist.
Trying to create a stronger jawline shouldn’t create a new orthodontic problem.
What About Children and Teenagers?
This question is particularly important for parents.
Children and teenagers are still experiencing facial and dental development, so it can be tempting to believe that mewing could “guide” growth.
But growth is complex. A child’s jaw development is influenced by genetics, skeletal growth, dental development, oral function and other factors. That doesn’t mean parents should attempt to manipulate facial growth at home. Instead, an orthodontist can monitor development and determine whether treatment is necessary and, if so, when intervention makes sense.
Laidlaw Orthodontics provides orthodontic care for children, teens and adults, with treatment plans tailored to each patient’s orthodontic needs.
An evaluation doesn’t automatically mean braces are needed immediately. It means you understand what’s happening before trying a DIY solution.
What Actually Straightens Teeth?
Orthodontic treatment uses controlled forces to move teeth gradually.
Traditional Braces
Brackets, wires and elastics work together to guide teeth into their planned positions. Laidlaw Orthodontics describes traditional braces as an efficient option, particularly for more complex tooth-alignment problems.
Invisalign
Invisalign uses a sequence of custom clear aligners that gradually move teeth. At Laidlaw Orthodontics, digital scans and X-rays are used to create a 3D representation of the patient’s mouth before the aligners are produced. Patients typically wear the aligners for about 22 hours per day, following an individualized treatment plan.
The difference is precision.
An orthodontist can determine which teeth need to move, the direction of movement, the amount of movement and how the upper and lower teeth need to fit together. Mewing cannot provide that same controlled approach.
Can Orthodontics Change Your Facial Appearance?
Sometimes. But that’s different from promising to “sculpt” someone’s face.
Moving teeth and correcting a bite can influence facial balance, lip support and the appearance of the smile. Laidlaw Orthodontics specifically states that its treatment planning considers the patient’s tooth shape, lip movement and face shape when developing braces or Invisalign treatment.
The visible result varies from person to person. Someone with significantly protruding teeth may notice a meaningful change after orthodontic treatment.
Another patient with mild crowding may see a much subtler difference. That’s why a personalized assessment is more useful than trying to copy a facial transformation seen online.
What If Your Main Concern Is Your Jawline?
If your teeth are relatively straight but you’re unhappy with your jawline, orthodontic treatment may or may not be the answer. An orthodontist can determine whether your concern is related to tooth position, bite, jaw relationship or facial structure.
That distinction matters. Straightening teeth isn’t the same thing as changing the size or shape of the jawbone. If your concern is primarily skeletal, an orthodontic evaluation can help clarify what is realistically achievable through orthodontics and whether another type of evaluation is appropriate.
What Should Hillsboro, OR Patients Do Instead of Mewing?
If you’re concerned about crooked teeth, crowding, an uneven bite or facial balance, start with an orthodontic evaluation rather than trying to move your teeth yourself.
For patients in Hillsboro, Beaverton, Cornelius, Forest Grove, Aloha and nearby Washington County communities, Laidlaw Orthodontics provides braces and Invisalign for children, teens and adults.
Dr. Andrea Laidlaw has practiced in Hillsboro since 2000 and is a diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics. She also spent seven years as an associate clinical professor in OHSU’s graduate orthodontic residency program.
The Hillsboro office is located at 400 E Main St, Suite #190, Hillsboro, OR 97123.
If you’re wondering whether your teeth or bite can be improved, schedule a consultation with Dr. Laidlaw. The practice offers complimentary consultations and can evaluate your orthodontic needs before recommending braces, Invisalign or another appropriate approach.
You can also meet Dr. Laidlaw and the Laidlaw Orthodontics team to discuss your smile goals.
What About Adults Who Want a Sharper Smile?
You’re not too old to have your teeth evaluated. Laidlaw Orthodontics notes that adults make up about one in five orthodontic patients at its Hillsboro office and that adult orthodontic treatment can address crooked teeth, spacing, bite function and facial appearance.
If you’re an adult who has been considering mewing because you don’t want traditional braces, Invisalign may provide another option.
Laidlaw Orthodontics states that Invisalign treatment typically takes around 9-15 months for appropriate cases, although actual treatment time depends on the individual’s needs.
The key is not choosing the most viral method. It’s choosing a treatment that can predictably address your specific orthodontic problem.
The Bottom Line
Mewing is popular because it promises a simple, inexpensive way to change your face and straighten your teeth.
But popularity isn’t evidence. Current scientific guidance does not support the claim that DIY mewing can reliably reshape an individual’s jawline or straighten crooked teeth.
Healthy tongue posture is part of normal oral function. Aggressively forcing tongue pressure in an attempt to reshape your face is something else. If your goal is a straighter smile, improved bite or better facial balance, an orthodontist can determine whether braces, Invisalign or another treatment is appropriate.
For Hillsboro patients, the better question isn’t:
“How can I move my teeth myself?”
It’s:
“What is causing my orthodontic concern, and what treatment can correct it predictably?”
That’s a question worth bringing to an orthodontic consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
Does mewing really change your jawline?
There is currently no strong scientific evidence that DIY mewing can reliably or dramatically reshape an individual’s jawline.
Can mewing straighten crooked teeth?
Mewing has not been shown to reliably straighten crooked teeth; orthodontic treatment uses controlled forces to move teeth into planned positions.
Is mewing safe for teenagers?
Aggressive tongue pressure may contribute to unwanted tooth or bite changes, so teenagers should discuss orthodontic concerns with a qualified orthodontist instead of attempting DIY tooth movement.
Can tongue posture affect facial development?
Tongue posture is part of normal oral function and development, but that does not mean deliberately practicing mewing can control facial growth or reshape the jawline.
What works better than mewing for straightening teeth?
An orthodontic evaluation can determine whether braces, Invisalign or another evidence-based treatment is appropriate for correcting tooth alignment and bite problems.
