What Is Mewing?

Medically Reviewed by Zilpah Sheikh, MD on June 10, 2024
Written by Paul Frysh, Lori M. King, PhD
3 min read

Mewing is a technique for flattening your tongue against the roof of your mouth that's supposed to change your jawline and face shape. Some people also claim it can help with sleep apnea, sinusitis, and other conditions.

Mewing is named after British orthodontist, John Mew, who started promoting the method in the 1970s as an alternative to orthodontics. He and his son, fellow orthodontist Michael Mew, promote “orthotropics” that focuses on “jaw posture,” including retraining the position of your tongue. Britain’s General Dental Council stripped John Mew's dental license in 2019. The General Dental Council also held a misconduct hearing on Michael Mew. In 2022, he was expelled from the British Orthodontic Society, but as of June 2024, he is still practicing as an orthodontist. 

John and Michael Mew did not coin the term “mewing.” The name stems from an online movement among people who wanted to change the appearance of their jawlines using ideas from orthotropics, which was originally intended for young children whose jaws are still growing.

The North American Association of Facial Orthotics notes that orthotropics works best in kids aged 5-10. It may also work for some older children, but the results may be limited.

Instructions vary, but the basics seem to be:

  • Close your mouth and relax.
  • Move your jaw so that your bottom front teeth are just behind your upper front teeth.
  • Flatten your tongue across the roof of your mouth.
  • Hold the tip of your tongue right behind your front teeth without touching. Your teeth should gently touch. But don't clench your jaw.
  • Hold for 10-20 seconds, or as long as you you feel comfortable. Repeat several times a day.
  • Over time, increase the duration you hold your tongue in position in 30-second increments until you're able to hold your tongue in this position comfortably throughout the day.

Some suggest that you can find the right position for your tongue if you make the “ng” sound, as in “thing” or “wing.” Others suggest you focus on breathing out of your nose instead of your mouth.

It can take years of doing this technique for you to notice any changes in your jawline or face shape.

There is no serious research that suggests mewing can change the shape of your jawline or help with other issues. Experts say it’s unlikely you’ll see any permanent change. Instead, if you want to strengthen your jawline, consider these jawline exercise tools.

Dentists and orthodontists sometimes use techniques with concepts similar to the ones in mewing to treat sleep apnea and misaligned teeth, but it’s generally only one part of a structured and proven treatment plan. They also talk to people about possible risks and benefits.

No, just using the technique is not likely bad for you. It's unlikely that you will substantially change the structure of your teeth, face, or jaw by resting your tongue in a specific way, especially if you're an adult and your bones have stopped growing.

However, the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) states that forcing your tongue into unnatural positions could lead to:

  • Misalignment of teeth
  • Worsening of bite problems and speech issues
  • A need for complicated treatment to repair any misalignment

The AAO doesn't recommend you try to move your teeth or align your jaw without the guidance of your dentist or an orthodontist.

Mewing is a way of holding your tongue that is supposed to change the shape of your jawline and face. Currently, there's no research that suggests mewing can actually change your jawline. But, as long as you don't clench your teeth, there's likely no harm in trying it.

Does mewing fix your jawline?

No, it's unlikely that mewing will change your jawline, especially if you've gone through puberty. There's no scientific research that shows it works. Almost all of the evidence that supports it is anecdotal, which means that it's based on self-report by people who have used the technique.