2 Their lips are together, and their teeth are either touching or close together. Over time, people who practice mewing train their bodies to naturally return to this position. They refer to this as proper tongue posture.
“The 'mewing' concept is the idea that the tongue should be placed against the roof of the mouth in order to prevent misalignment of the jaw,” says Joyce Kahng, DDS, owner of Orange and Magnolia Dental Studio in Costa Mesa, California.
Your tongue shouldn't touch your teeth at all while mewing. If they're touching your bottom teeth, then your tongue isn't against your palate. If your tongue is touching your upper, front teeth- then you need to move it back and place the tip behind your two front teeth.
Mewing involves placing the tongue on the roof of the mouth, which supposedly will reshape the jaw over time. There is currently no scientific evidence to prove that mewing is an effective technique for reshaping the face.
We recommend that tongue exercises are done over a period of at least 12 weeks. In the first week, you can start with just one spot daily to get used to the exercise and to gradually change your tongue.
For these reasons, improper tongue posture results in an abnormally long face, a recessed jawline and chin, a flatter nose, a narrower mouth, a gummy smile and ultimately, crowded teeth. Not only does it have aesthetic consequences, but also functional, whereby the muscles in the face and jaw do not function properly.
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.
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.
Over time, people who practice mewing train their bodies to naturally return to this position. They refer to this as proper tongue posture.
Roughly speaking the results from mewing can be expected: 1-3 months if you're under 18 years old. 3-6 months if you are 18-25.
Should your teeth touch when mewing? Yes, your teeth should gently touch while mewing. Don't press your teeth hard against one another.
It involves resting your entire tongue on the roof of your mouth until it unconsciously does this every time your mouth is closed. At first, mewing may feel strange and uncomfortable. Fortunately, your tongue muscles will eventually get used to it and after a while, it'll become much easier.
Holding the tongue in poor position can lead to dental and other problems. It may sound strange and unusual, but tongue posture is a real thing, and it can cause some very real problems. 50% of Americans have incorrect tongue posture.
But how long should you mew each day to see real results? The answer is simple. Ideally, you should aim to mew 24/7, just like you would strive to maintain good posture throughout the day. While it may be challenging to remember to mew constantly, the more you practice, the more you'll see the benefits.
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.
Our verdict: Practicing tongue mewing can't guarantee a difference in the appearance of your jawline and may come with risks that could lead to the need for more serious dental treatments.
Unfortunately no matter how long your tongue stays in mewing position it will never change the shape of your jaw, however it can cause a whole host of other medical problems, including sleep apnea and temporomandibular joint dysfunction!
Ironically if you're mewing correctly, your jaw might actually feel like it's being pulled back a little bit, creating a double chin. It seems counterintuitive, but remember, you're doing these “exercises” in the privacy of your own home and not while you're hanging out around other people.
Poor tongue posture loosens the muscle, and a double chin starts to form. Specialists say that if we learn how to position the tongue properly, it's possible to get rid of the double chin and improve the jawline. It happens because the correct position holds the whole facial structure.
Known as “tongue positioning,” there is a right and wrong way. When closing the mouth, the teeth should be slightly apart while the tongue rests on the roof of the mouth but not against the teeth. Not only does this correct form of tongue positioning ensure better oral health, but it also prevents teeth from shifting.
An Overview of Proper Tongue Posture
When your tongue is at rest, the tip of your tongue should touch the roof of your mouth, just behind your front teeth, as a study published in Radiology and Oncology notes. The tip of your tongue shouldn't rest low on the floor of your mouth.