Introduction

The phrase what is mewing tiktok has become a common search for people wanting a sharper jawline and better facial structure after scrolling viral before-and-after clips. On TikTok, short video lessons show tongue posture, jawline workouts, and 3D progress snapshots that make the practice look accessible and fast. That visibility matters because it both spreads useful technique and spreads myths that cause disappointment or harm when applied incorrectly.

This article explains what mewing on TikTok actually is, where the ideas come from, and how to separate practical, safe techniques from clickbait. You will get a step-by-step daily routine, a realistic timeline with measurable milestones, an equipment and cost comparison, common mistakes to avoid, and a checklist you can start using today. Practical examples, specific product names, and price ranges are included so you can choose between cheap DIY approaches, tools like Jawzrsize, and professional options like myofunctional therapy or orthodontics.

What is Mewing Tiktok:

concept and origin

Mewing refers to a set of oral posture practices popularized by British orthodontists Dr. John Mew and his son Dr. Mike Mew.

The core idea is to place your tongue against the roof of your mouth (palate), keep lips closed, and maintain nasal breathing and correct head posture to influence facial growth and soft tissue position over time.

On TikTok, creators condense the approach into short clips: a demonstration of tongue placement, a jaw exercise, a claimed timeline, and before-and-after progress photos. TikTok amplifies simple visuals, making the technique look fast and dramatic. In reality, mewing is a posture habit that impacts soft tissues and, over long periods and combined with skeletal changes (usually in youth), can affect facial form.

Key origins and claims

• Dr. John Mew and Dr. Mike Mew: developed the theoretical basis linking tongue posture to maxillary (upper jaw) development. Their work focuses on children and adolescents when bones are still growing.
• TikTok creators: translate and simplify the concept into bite-size instructions and trending hashtags like #mewing, #jawline, and #facialgrowth.
• Scientific context: Evidence for dramatic adult skeletal change from mewing alone is limited; most measurable structural change occurs in growing patients or when combined with orthodontic treatment or surgery.

How TikTok changed the message

• Short videos amplify anecdotes: Before/after images and rapid testimonials increase perceived effectiveness.
• Rapid replication: A popular video can spawn thousands of imitators and slight variations, which leads to both helpful demonstrations and misinformation.
• Commercial incentives: Influencers sometimes recommend devices or paid courses, which makes it important to evaluate costs and evidence-based options.

What realistic users should expect

• Soft-tissue improvement: Better posture can tighten perioral muscles and improve the visible jawline minorly within weeks to months.
• Skeletal shifts: Significant bone remodeling is unlikely in adults without orthodontic or surgical intervention.
• Health benefits: Nasal breathing and correct swallowing patterns can reduce sleep-disordered breathing and improve oral health when done properly.

Why People on Tiktok Try Mewing

Understanding why mewing went viral explains what aspects are useful and which are hype. Most people come to TikTok seeking quick, visual change. Creators offer a promise: a noninvasive path to a stronger jawline, often framed as free or cheap compared to cosmetic surgery.

Primary motivations

• Cosmetic desire: A defined jawline and balanced midface are high-visibility traits in social media photos and videos.
• Health and function: Some users pursue mewing to improve breathing, reduce snoring, or correct tongue thrust swallowing.
• Cost and accessibility: Compared to orthognathic surgery (jaw surgery) that costs $15,000 to $50,000 in many markets, mewing seems free or low-cost.
• Community and accountability: TikTok challenges and hashtags create a community where users post progress and encourage each other.

What influencers show versus the clinical reality

• Influencers: Post daily habits, 30-day timelines, and “cheat codes” like devices or jaw trainers. Many show dramatic results without clarifying age, prior orthodontic work, or photo angles.
• Clinical reality: Changes that persist and are structural usually require growth-phase interventions, professional supervision, or orthodontics. For adults, soft-tissue improvements and muscle tone changes are the most common outcomes.

Risk-reward calculation

• Low-cost habit changes (tongue posture, nasal breathing) carry minimal risk and potential health benefits.
• Aggressive independent interventions (cheek fillers, surgery based on TikTok-only advice) have real costs and complications.
• Professional routes (myofunctional therapy, orthodontics, facial physiotherapy) usually cost more but provide evaluation, measurable goals, and monitored outcomes.

How to Mew Correctly:

step-by-step techniques and exercises

This section gives a concrete daily routine, clear cues, and measurable practice times. Follow the steps precisely to avoid common errors discussed later.

Daily baseline posture: 10 minutes total, broken into micro-sessions

• Morning micro-session (3 minutes): After waking, sit upright. Close lips gently. Rest the entire tongue against the palate with the tip behind the upper front teeth but not touching them. Breathe through your nose. Hold for 3 minutes while doing light neck-extension posture (chin slightly tucked).
• Midday check (2 minutes): Repeat tongue-palate hold and nasal breathing, do 10 slow swallow cycles focusing on lifting the tongue to the palate.
• Evening session (5 minutes): Combine tongue hold with jaw exercises: 2 sets of 10 slow resisted jaw openings using a soft rubber resistance band (see Jawzrsize option below), followed by 1 minute of static tongue-palate hold.

Technique cues that work

• Full-palate contact: Aim to have the entire dorsal (top) surface of the tongue touching the roof of the mouth, not just the tip. Visualize “suction” as if trying to flatten the tongue upward.
• Nasal breathing: Replace mouth breathing with nasal breathing at rest. Use the 2-minute nasal breathing drill: inhale for 4 seconds, exhale for 6 seconds, repeat.
• Proper swallow: On each swallow, aim to push the tongue upward and back against the palate rather than forward against teeth. Practice 10 controlled swallows per day while seated.

Jawline and masseter strengthening (5-10 minutes, 3-5 times per week)

• Jawzrsize: 2 minutes of biting on graduated silicone resistance trainers per session. Start with the soft insert (about $20) and progress to higher resistance over 4-8 weeks.
• Isometric holds: Press lower jaw forward with hands and resist with jaw for 10 seconds, 3 sets.
• Chin tucks: 3 sets of 10, holding 5 seconds each to improve neck posture.

Sample weekly plan and measurable targets

• Week 1: Daily micro-sessions total 10 minutes. Record baseline side-profile photos and neck angle using a smartphone tripod.
• Weeks 2-4: Add Jawzrsize soft resistance 2x per week. Expect minor soft-tissue tightening and posture awareness improvements.
• Months 2-6: Increase Jawzrsize resistance or sets. Track profile photos every 30 days; expect visible muscle tone gains and slight jawline shadowing after 8-12 weeks for many users.
• 6-12 months: Continued practice with nasal breathing and posture may yield noticeable soft-tissue change; structural bone change in adults is unlikely.

Examples with numbers

• A typical beginner: 10-minute daily routine, Jawzrsize soft for 2 minutes twice weekly, photos at 0, 30, 60, 90 days. Reported subjective improvement in jaw definition commonly occurs between 8 and 12 weeks.
• Myofunctional therapy client: 45-minute weekly session at $90 per session, exercises done daily 15 minutes; measurable improvements in swallow pattern and breathing within 6 sessions (6 weeks).

When to Involve Professionals:

assessments and interventions

Mewing-style posture training can be done independently, but professional involvement is necessary when you want diagnostic clarity, treat functional issues, or consider structural changes.

When to see a professional

• Functional symptoms: Chronic mouth breathing, snoring, sleep apnea symptoms, or persistent tongue thrust swallowing.
• Orthodontic history or concerns: If you had braces, extractions, or misaligned bite, consult an orthodontist before aggressive mewing or device use.
• Pain or TMJ (temporomandibular joint) symptoms: Jaw pain, popping, or headaches warrant evaluation by a dentist or TMJ specialist.
• Expectation management:

Professional options and what to expect

• Myofunctional therapists: Specialists who teach oral muscle exercises and swallowing retraining. Prices commonly range $60 to $150 per 45-60 minute session. Typical course: 6-12 sessions over 2-3 months.
• Orthodontists: Assess skeletal vs dental malocclusion, offer braces, expanders, or orthognathic surgery. Consultations cost $100 to $400; treatment costs vary widely ($3,000 for minor braces to $50,000 for surgical reconstruction).
• Sleep doctors and ENT (ear, nose, and throat): Evaluate nasal obstruction and sleep-disordered breathing. Sleep studies range from $400 for home sleep apnea tests to $1,500+ for in-lab polysomnography.
• Plastic surgeons: For definitive jawline changes, procedures such as genioplasty or implants cost $3,000 to $12,000+, with variable recovery times.

Risk assessment and measurable goals

• Ask for objective baselines: cephalometric X-rays, dental casts, photographic records.
• Choose measurable outcomes: reduced AHI (apnea-hypopnea index), improved nasal airflow, or defined soft-tissue changes on standardized photos.
• Expect timelines: functional therapy shows changes in 6-12 weeks; orthodontics usually 12-24 months; surgical outcomes are immediate with 6-12 weeks recovery.

Tools and Resources

List of practical tools, apps, and services with pricing and availability to support mewing and jawline exercises. Prices are approximate and vary by retailer and region.

Essential free platforms

• TikTok: Free. Source of short tutorials and community accountability.
• YouTube: Free. Source of longer demonstrations and medical lectures (search for Dr. Mike Mew interviews or myofunctional therapy channels).

Exercise tools and devices

• Jawzrsize (Jawzrsize, official store and Amazon): Silicone resistance tools designed for jaw muscles. Price range: $19.99 to $69.99 depending on kit and resistance levels. Pros: targeted masseter activation. Cons: limited clinical evidence for structural change.
• Facial rollers and gua sha tools (Dermatology and beauty brands on Amazon, Sephora): $10 to $60. Pros: temporary lymphatic drainage and contouring effects. Cons: aesthetic only, no structural change.
• Resistance bands and silicone chewables (TheraBite alternatives, Amazon): $8 to $40. Pros: low-cost for isometric and isotonic jaw exercises.

Professional services

• Myofunctional therapists: Price per session $60 to $150. Availability: private practices, some speech-language pathologists specialize in orofacial myology.
• Orthodontic consult: $100 to $400 initial consult; full braces treatment $3,000 to $10,000, Invisalign $3,000 to $8,000.
• Plastic surgery consult and procedures: Consultation $100 to $500. Surgical jaw augmentation or genioplasty $3,000 to $12,000+.
• FaceGym (facial exercise studios): Session pricing varies $45 to $120 per session depending on city; membership packages available.

Online courses and learning

• Udemy: Courses on myofunctional therapy or facial exercises. Price: $10 to $100 (sales common).
• Professional webinars and courses from organizations like the International Association of Orofacial Myology (IAOM): Pricing varies for continuing education.

Comparisons: Device vs therapy vs surgery (short list)

• Devices (Jawzrsize): Cost $20-$70. Outcome: muscle tone improvement, faster local hypertrophy. Time to visible change: 6-12 weeks.
• Myofunctional therapy: Cost $360-$1,800 for a 6-12 session course. Outcome: improved swallow, nasal breathing, functional gains. Time: 6-12 weeks.
• Orthodontics/surgery: Cost $3,000-$50,000 depending on intervention. Outcome: structural dental and skeletal correction. Time: months to years, immediate surgical change where applicable.

Safety and product selection tips

• Seek products with clear instructions and reputable sellers.
• Avoid overuse of resistance devices; start with low resistance for 1-2 minutes and increase gradually.
• If you have dental work, TMJ issues, or pain, consult a dentist before using bite trainers.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Identify common pitfalls seen on TikTok and in DIY practice, and give concrete corrective actions.

Mistake 1: Incorrect tongue placement (tip-only contact)

• Problem: Many people press only the tongue tip against the palate; this creates forward pressure on front teeth and does not produce full-palate support.
• Fix: Aim for full dorsal tongue contact. Practice lying down and slowly press the entire tongue against the roof of the mouth for 30 seconds to learn the sensation.

Mistake 2: Clenching or overusing bite devices

• Problem: Aggressive biting on devices can overload the masseters and exacerbate temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain.
• Fix: Start with 1-2 minutes of light resistance twice a week. If you feel pain or increased headaches, stop and see a dentist. Progress resistance only after 2-4 weeks without discomfort.

Mistake 3: Expecting rapid skeletal change in adults

• Problem: Believing that mewing alone will produce dramatic bone change within months leads to disappointment and unsafe choices.
• Fix: Set realistic goals: improve posture, nasal breathing, and muscle tone. Consult an orthodontist if you desire structural change.

Mistake 4: Mouth breathing during exercises

• Problem: Practicing with mouth open or breathing through the mouth undermines nasal breathing benefits and changes the mechanics of tongue placement.
• Fix: Prioritize nasal breathing. If nasal congestion prevents nasal breathing, consult an ENT for evaluation and possible treatment before continuing intensive exercises.

Mistake 5: Relying solely on TikTok advice without objective assessment

• Problem: Influencers often omit age, prior treatment, or photo editing that affects perceived outcomes.
• Fix: Keep photographic records with consistent lighting, angles, and neutral expression. Consider professional evaluation for baseline measures if pursuing major changes.

FAQ

Is Mewing on Tiktok Actually Effective?

Mewing improves tongue posture, nasal breathing, and muscle tone for many users, which can produce modest soft-tissue changes. Significant skeletal remodeling in adults is unlikely without orthodontic or surgical intervention.

How Long Before I See Results From Mewing?

Expect minor posture and muscle tone improvements in 6 to 12 weeks, with more noticeable soft-tissue definition around 3 to 6 months. Skeletal changes typically require months to years and are most common in young people whose bones are still growing.

Can Mewing Fix a Weak Chin or Large Nose?

Mewing can improve soft-tissue appearance and jawline shadowing, but it cannot reduce nose size. For a genuinely weak chin or major structural imbalance, consult an oral and maxillofacial surgeon or plastic surgeon for options like genioplasty or fillers.

Are Jaw Trainers Like Jawzrsize Safe?

Jaw trainers can be safe when used as instructed and started at low resistance. People with TMJ disorders, dental implants, or chronic jaw pain should consult a dentist before use. Limit sessions to short, controlled sets and monitor for pain.

Do I Need an Orthodontist to Try Mewing?

You do not need an orthodontist to begin basic tongue posture and nasal breathing exercises. See a professional if you have bite issues, prior orthodontic treatment, pain, or if you are seeking structural changes.

Can Mewing Help Sleep Apnea?

Mewing and myofunctional therapy can improve muscle tone and nasal breathing, which may reduce mild sleep-disordered breathing. For moderate to severe sleep apnea, seek a sleep specialist for formal evaluation and treatment options such as CPAP or surgery.

Next Steps

Practical, measurable actions to start improving oral posture and jawline appearance safely.

1. Baseline assessment and photos

• Take standardized side-profile and frontal photos today with neutral lighting and a tripod or stable surface.
• Record a quick breathing test: count the number of seconds you can comfortably breathe through your nose while seated.

2. Start a 12-week routine

• Daily: 10 minutes total of tongue-palate holds, 10 controlled swallows, and 2 minutes nasal breathing drills.
• Twice weekly: 2 minutes of Jawzrsize or light jaw resistance, progressing gradually after week 4.

3. Track and measure

• Photograph at day 0, day 30, day 60, and day 90 using consistent angles.
• Note subjective changes: breathing quality, sleep, neck posture, and jaw soreness.

4. Consult a professional if needed

• If you have pain, TMJ symptoms, prior orthodontic work, or desire structural change, schedule a consultation with a dentist, myofunctional therapist, or orthodontist within the first month. Bring your photos and a written list of goals.

Checklist to print and use

• Day 0 photos taken
• Set daily alarm reminders for micro-sessions (morning, midday, evening)
• Buy low-resistance Jawzrsize or similar ($20-$40) if desired
• Schedule professional consult if pain, sleep issues, or major structural goals exist

Important timeline expectations

• Weeks 1-4: Posture learning and minor soft-tissue tightening
• Weeks 5-12: Visible jawline tone in many users; improved swallowing and breathing mechanics
• Months 3-12: Continued soft-tissue refinement; structural change in adults unlikely unless combined with clinical interventions

Key metrics to monitor

• Change in side-profile shadowing (visual)
• Reduction in mouth breathing episodes per day (quantitative diary)
• Any reduction in snoring or sleep disturbances (partner report or sleep tracker)

Final note on responsible use

Use TikTok as inspiration, not diagnosis. Prioritize nasal breathing, full-palate tongue posture, and realistic timelines. Use tools and professionals judiciously based on your goals and symptoms.

Further Reading

• What is Mewing: Jawline, Technique, Exercises
• Define Mewing Guide to Mewing Techniques
• Does Mewing Actually Work for Jawline and Face
• Mewing Tools Guide for Jawline and Facial Structure