Mewing
 Charcoal study: tongue against palate (Astra, 2026)
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Mewing is a practice promoted online in which the tongue is held against the palate with the claimed aim of changing the jawline or facial appearance. The American Association of Orthodontists says claims that it can reshape the jaw or improve the bite lack scientific support.[1]
This wiki's view
Popularity and before-and-after photographs should not be treated as proof of lasting structural change. This article describes the claim and the clinical assessment; it does not endorse a universal tongue-pressure routine.
Claims and clinical assessment
The AAO says that claims of reshaping the jaw or improving the bite through these exercises are not supported by scientific evidence. Its statement is professional patient guidance, rather than a report of a controlled trial of a particular online routine.[1]
Distinction from orthodontic treatment
Orthodontic treatment involves assessment and a planned application of forces, with professional supervision. It is not equivalent to attempting to change the bite by pressing with the tongue. The AAO's patient information discusses the complexity of tooth position and jaw relationships and warns against treating a social-media demonstration as an individualized treatment plan.[1]
Potential adverse effects
In its discussion of viral dental trends, the AAO warns that attempts to alter tongue position or apply inappropriate pressure can disturb alignment and contribute to problems with chewing or speech. These are concerns about the promoted intervention, not a claim that ordinary comfortable tongue rest or nasal breathing has the same effects.[2]
The same source stresses that the mouth is a connected mechanical system: changing the position of one part can affect how the other parts fit together. A concern about a bite or a persistent functional problem consequently calls for an individual dental assessment, rather than a universal exercise claimed to produce a particular appearance.[2]
See also