Mewing vs. Chewing: Are the Two Approaches to the Jaw the Same or Different?
Mewing and chewing are not the same thing. Mewing is the correct placement of the tongue on the palate to support breathing. Chewing hard food (such as MastiGum) actively builds muscle and bone. For a perfect jawline and a healthy face, you must combine both approaches together.
Today's era and modern research show us that the shape of our face is not just about genetics. It also depends on how we breathe, how we hold our tongue, and how much we engage our muscles. If we are looking for a way to naturally and non-surgically improve the lower part of the face, we encounter two major trends. On the one hand, there is mewing, and on the other hand, there is targeted chewing training. People on the internet often confuse these two things. They simply call it "jawline mewing" and think it is one and the same process. However, from the perspective of real science, dentists, and how our bones react, these are two completely different processes. They are different, but they perfectly complement each other, and for real results, you need both.
What exactly is mewing: A historical window and the logic behind the method
The word mewing is a huge hit on social media today, but in reality, it is nothing new. It is just a modern name for something professionally called orthotropics. This technique was invented back in the 1970s by a British dentist (orthodontist) Dr. John Mew, and today his son, Dr. Michael Mew, is spreading it to the world. While regular dentists solve crooked teeth by gluing braces onto them (thereby masking the problem), Dr. Mew asked why the teeth became crooked in the first place. He was looking for the root cause.
He came up with a theory he called craniofacial dystrophy. It sounds complicated, but translated, it simply means "poor facial development." Why does it occur? The main culprit is our modern lifestyle. We eat a soft diet that does not need to be chewed properly. Everything is cooked, ground, or liquid. Therefore, our masticatory (chewing) muscles weaken. In addition, many of us suffer from allergies or have enlarged tonsils, which forces us to breathe through our mouths.
If you breathe through your mouth, your tongue cannot rest against the palate. It drops down to the floor of the oral cavity. The upper jaw (professionally the maxilla) thus loses its internal support. Imagine it as a tent from which you remove the center pole. Without the support of the tongue and under the influence of gravity, the entire face seemingly lengthens and collapses into a narrow shape.
The cornerstone of mewing is the so-called "Tropic Premise." The rule is entirely simple: the lips must be kept together at all times, the teeth should touch gently, and the entire tongue (including its back part) must be firmly glued to the upper part of the palate. During this process, you breathe exclusively through your nose. The tongue acts as an internal scaffolding here, pushing the jaw outwards and upwards. However, it is necessary to say that although it sounds logical, traditional dentists criticize this method in adults because there are no large studies proving that the tongue can move an adult, hardened bone.
What is chewing training: Why we need MastiGum
On the completely opposite side of this story stands chewing training. While mewing is solely about how your tongue rests when idle (it is a passive thing), chewing is hard physical work. It is literally a gym for your face. The goal of this training is to work hard on two main facial muscles. The most important of them is called the masseter (the chewing muscle that stretches along the sides of the jaw), and the second is the temporal muscle (temporalis).
How exactly can ordinary chewing change the shape of a bone? There is a technical term for it: mechanotransduction. The bones in your body are not dead stone. They are living tissues that are constantly changing depending on the load you put on them. This is called Wolff's Law. If you do not load a bone, it thins out (like astronauts in space). If you push and pull on it, it strengthens and thickens (like calluses on hands from hard work).
When you regularly chew something with immense resistance, such as MastiGum, your masseter generates a massive amount of force. This muscle is attached directly to the jawbone. When the muscle works, it pulls on the bone. The bones then begin to produce growth factors, and new bone slowly begins to grow on the surface of the jaw. The muscle enlarges (hypertrophy), and the bone thickens.
Thanks to a larger masseter muscle and a thicker bone, the face gains a wide, sharply cut, so-called "chiseled" appearance. Many people think they achieved such a wide jawline only thanks to mewing, but that is a major misconception. The visual widening of the lower jaw is solely the result of hard chewing training.
Main differences: Why people confuse them
The difference between them is like the difference between correct posture when sitting at a computer (mewing) and lifting heavy weights in the gym (chewing).
The type of force we use:
With mewing, you use a light but constant force. The tongue gently presses against the palate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
With chewing using MastiGum, you use an immense, impact force. You work out intensely, but only for, say, 15-30 minutes a day.
What we focus on:
Mewing focuses on the center of the face – the upper jaw (maxilla), tongue, palate, and clearing the airways.
Chewing focuses on the edges of the face – the lower jaw (mandible), masseter, and joint connections.
The body's response:
Mewing works from the inside out. The tongue acts like an inflated balloon pushing from inside the skull to keep everything in its place.
Chewing works from the outside. Strong muscles pull on the edges of the bones, forcing them to thicken and grow on the surface.
Why they must work together: The Hardware and Software of your face
In the world of anatomy, it works in such a way that one without the other makes no sense. Nature designed it so that the shape of your face depends on the functions you perform.
Imagine you want to do mewing. The basic rule is that you must keep your mouth closed at all times, otherwise, you won't keep your tongue on the palate. But what if you have weak chewing muscles because you have been eating only soft yogurts and porridges your whole life? Then your lower jaw drops down under its own weight, your mouth unconsciously opens, and your tongue drops down. Your attempt at mewing fails.
And this is precisely where chewing comes to the rescue. Through training with MastiGum, you build strong elevators (muscles that lift the jaw). When these muscles are strong, they act like springs that keep your mouth firmly closed without any effort on your part. In other words: power chewing builds the "hardware" (strong muscles) on which your "software" (correct tongue posture, i.e., mewing) can subsequently run without issues.
Mewing can visually help you get rid of a "double chin" because it tightens the neck muscles under the chin. But it will never widen your face. You need chewing for that. That is why MastiGum is an absolutely crucial supplement if you want a truly attractive appearance.
The hard reality: What Mewing cannot do in adults
The main issue is the midpalatal suture. This is the line that connects the left and right sides of your upper jaw. When you are a child, this suture is soft, flexible, and open. At that time, the pressure of the tongue (mewing) can genuinely widen the maxilla.
However, once a person reaches about 20 to 25 years of age, this suture closes. The bones fuse into one solid, hard piece (professionally called ossification or fusion). The bones are "locked." If you think that with the gentle pressure of a soft muscle (the tongue) you can break open the solid, fused bone of an adult skull, you are denying the laws of biology.
Therefore, in adults, mewing cannot move the jaw forward, nor can it radically widen it. It only serves to maintain the current state and tighten the neck muscles. Conversely, the surface of the bone undergoes constant remodeling throughout life, regardless of whether the cranial sutures are fused or not. That is why training the masticatory muscles via MastiGum works fantastically even for people in their thirties or forties. The bone at the site of the jaw muscle attachments simply reacts to the stress and builds a new layer.
Who will this work for? Realistic expectations based on age
If you want to start a facial transformation, you must set realistic goals based on your age.
Children and teenagers (under 15 years): At this age, the face is like modeling clay. The bones are extremely malleable. For this group, strict mewing is an absolute miracle. If a child breathes correctly and maintains tongue posture, they can completely prevent having a narrow face and crooked teeth. Chewing hard food is more of a prevention here so that the jaw develops in the right direction. The growing maxilla is dominated by the tongue.
Adults (over 20 years): Here, the tables turn. Your bones are no longer growing; your cranial sutures are fused.
Can mewing move your bones forward? No.
Will mewing prevent your neck muscles from softening and your chin from dropping? Yes, excellently.
What will help you build a sharply cut jawline and a wide face? Exclusively the growth of the masseter muscle through hard chewing and MastiGum. That is your main weapon for changing aesthetics.
Rules on how not to destroy your joints
Many people rush into training, wanting quick results, and end up with temporomandibular joint pain, popping in the jaw, or ruined teeth. If you want to pursue modifying your face, you must follow these four basic rules for your own safety:
Teeth apart (The Butterfly Touch Rule): The worst mistake people make when mewing is clenching their teeth tightly together. The teeth should only touch very, very gently, or there must be a millimeter gap between them. If you constantly keep your teeth clenched, you will destroy your enamel and overload the jaw joint. The tongue must push up; the jaw must be relaxed.
Start slowly (Progressive Overload): If you have never run and you immediately go for a marathon, you will destroy your knees. If you have eaten bread rolls your whole life and suddenly chew hard MastiGum for two hours a day, you will destroy the hinges on your jaw. Start with 5 to 10 minutes every other day. Your masseter must get used to it; it needs to recover just like your biceps after a workout at the gym.
Massage is mandatory: When you finish your training session, take a moment to relax. Using your fingertips, slowly massage the sides of your cheeks (the masseter muscle) and temples in circular motions. This flushes out lactic acid and releases tension. It will prevent facial cramps.
You must chew on both sides: This is critical. Never, absolutely never, chew the resistance gum on only one side of your mouth. You must regularly switch it from left to right. If you don't do this, one muscle will grow more than the other, and your face will become asymmetrical and crooked. Moreover, you will dangerously overload the joint on one side.
Summary
To sum it up in one thought: science clearly shows that mewing and chewing are not competitors. They are best friends. Mewing creates perfect passive conditions for your airways and keeps soft tissues in place so they don't sag.
On the other hand, if you are already an adult with firmly fused skull bones, mewing alone will not diametrically change your appearance. To widen the lower half of the face, strengthen the jawbones, and get that desired "jawline," you strictly need a dynamic, strength load. Targeted training with high-resistance products like MastiGum generates the mechanical tension your body needs to build the masseter muscle and new bone surface. If you want to succeed, train hard, but above all, safely and smartly.
FAQ
- 1. Will mewing alone widen my jawline if I'm already an adult? No. In adults (roughly over 20 years of age), the midpalatal suture is already firmly fused. The pressure of the tongue alone cannot break or expand this bone. Mewing in adults works excellently for tightening the muscles under the chin (helping against a "double chin") and maintaining clear airways, but for a visual widening of the lower jaw, strength training of the chewing muscle (masseter) using a resistance gum like MastiGum is absolutely essential.
- 2. What is the main difference between mewing and chewing? Mewing is a passive habit. It involves constant, gentle pressure of the tongue against the palate while breathing through the nose (24 hours a day). It focuses on the center of the face and the upper jaw (maxilla). On the other hand, chewing with MastiGum is an active physical training. It is an intense, impact load (15–30 minutes a day) focused on the edges of the face, which builds the chewing muscles and stimulates bone growth on the lower jaw (mandible).
- 3. Can I just train with MastiGum and completely ignore mewing? It is not recommended. These two methods function as the "hardware" and "software" of your face. Hard chewing builds strong muscles (hardware) that naturally and effortlessly keep your mouth closed. Thanks to this, you can much more easily keep your tongue on the palate (mewing – software). One without the other does not make anatomical sense in the long run.
- 4. How long will it take to see real changes in my face? It depends on whether we are talking about muscles or bones. You will see and feel the muscle "pump" (a temporary enlargement of the blood-filled masseter) immediately after training. True muscle volume growth (hypertrophy) will begin to visually manifest after about 4 to 8 weeks of regular exercise with MastiGum. However, structural changes to the bone (its thickening according to Wolff's Law) are a long-term process that requires months to years of consistent loading. Do not expect overnight miracles.
- 5. Can I do chewing training with ordinary store-bought chewing gum? No. It's like trying to build a massive chest by lifting one-kilo dumbbells. Regular chewing gum is too soft and completely loses its structure after a short while in the mouth. It cannot generate sufficient mechanical resistance to trigger hypertrophy of the masseter muscle or the process of mechanotransduction in the bone. For a real facial remodeling, you absolutely need a product with extreme hardness and high resistance.
Sources
- Angelieri, F., et al. (2013). Cervical vertebral maturation method and the midpalatal suture maturation. American Journal of Orthodontics.
- Mao, J. J., et al. (2004). Mechanotransduction of Craniofacial Sutures. Journal of Dental Research.
- Wolff's Law and Bone Remodeling. National Library of Medicine.
- The Functional Matrix Hypothesis - Moss, M. L. (1997).
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only. MastiGum is a natural aid for mechanical exercise and strengthening of the facial and jaw muscles. The product is not a dietary supplement, food, medicine, or medical device. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease. If you have problems with your teeth, jaw, or temporomandibular joint, or any doubts, consult a qualified professional before use.
