The term "mewing" may sound related to cats, but you’d be sorely mistaken. Originally stemming from a facial exercise technique, the mewing meme has exploded on TikTok, with hundreds of users sharing jawline transformation videos.
In this article, we’ll delve deeper into the social media craze that has recently resurfaced, from when it first started to why it has faced a backlash from school teachers.
What Is Mewing?
The term "mewing" first appeared online when a British orthodontist, Mike Mew, began promoting orthotropics (dentistry branch correcting facial growth) as an alternative to traditional orthodontics.
According to WebMD, mewing is a tongue exercise in which you flatten your tongue so that it rests against the roof of your mouth (1). Holding your tongue in this position for extended periods supposedly alters the shape and structure of your jawline.
Although this technique has only been proven effective for children aged 5-10 whose jawlines are still developing, videos began surfacing far and wide with teens sharing Mew’s ideas for jawline improvement.
Online Spread
Mike Mew’s presentation appeared on YouTube channel 21 Studios on March 19, 2014. In it, Mew shared research comparing orthotropics to orthodontics.
[embed]http://youtu.be/TY3bIMRKil8[/embed]
The video then spread to the RedPillTalk Forums (previously known as S***hate), and on June 17, 2014, Mew uploaded a video in response on YouTube.
[embed]http://youtu.be/U3owXWaV-I0[/embed]
A post was added to the RedPillTalk Forums in October 2014, asking if any updates had been made on the subject, to which Mew did not respond.
On April 13, 2018, YouTuber Astro Sky uploaded a video titled "Why Mewing Is Important To All!" demonstrating how the mewing technique dramatically improved his jawline.
[embed]http://youtu.be/Brbk7YOfCTg[/embed]
Later the same year, on September 22, a YouTube channel called Orthotropics featured a video titled "Doing Mewing," in which Mike Mew demonstrated how to mew correctly.
[embed]http://youtu.be/Hmf-pR7EryY[/embed]
On December 19, 2018, YouTuber Judy Neptune uploaded a video titled "How I Changed My Facial Bone Structure by Mewing". The video achieved over 134,000 views but has now been removed.
On January 19, 2019, previously mentioned YouTuber Astro Sky uploaded another popular video titled "Mewing For Beginners," explaining the basics of mewing for those new to the practice.
[embed]http://youtu.be/bIh4wT-WfYA[/embed]
Mewing was mentioned in the Coventry Live on February 19, 2019, and then featured again on February 22 by YouTuber Brett Maverick in the following video (2).
[embed]http://youtu.be/YoKy55QNivQ[/embed]
Trending Mewing Meme Compilation
The mewing trend has spawned countless internet memes; we’ve compiled some of the most popular ones below.
Mewing vs. Conventional Methods
“I Ain't No Gigachad”
Squidword’s Mewing Transformation
Generational Struggles
Image credits: Abatirabadai
Jota Kujo Before and After Mewing
Mewing Trend Spin-Off Takes Over Schools
There has been a recent development of mewing among school students. According to TikTok user @mr_lindsay_sped, teenagers and preteens are now using mewing as an excuse to avoid engaging with their teachers, showcasing the mewing technique as the reason for their inability to speak.
[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@mr_lindsay_sped/video/7334084754666720558?embed_source=121374463%2C121433650%2C121404358%2C121351166%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_pause_share&refer=embed&referer_url=ftw.usatoday.com%2Flists%2Fwhat-is-mewing-explained-tiktok-jaw-finger-technique&referer_video_id=7334084754666720558[/embed]
A viral TikTok video (below) by Teresa Kaye Newman, a 36-year-old teacher from Texas, explains how teachers reacted to this trend.
[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@teresakayenewman/video/7337424756683083051?embed_source=121374463%2C121439635%2C121433650%2C121404358%2C121351166%2C121331973%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_card_play&refer=embed&referer_url=www.buzzfeed.com%2Fdannicaramirez%2Fteacher-explains-mewing-trend&referer_video_id=7337424756683083051[/embed]
Newman believes the mewing trend aims to embarrass adults, especially teachers, and goes as far as to say that mewing "is probably gonna be the final reason I will decide to never to return to the classroom to teach ever again."
According to the Buzzfeed article "'Mewing' Is A Viral New Trend Among Students, And This 36-Year-Old Teacher Explained Why It’s 'Smug' And 'Rude'" by Dannica Ramirez, mewing is generally seen as disrespectful not only to teachers but also to the Deaf community, as it involves an ASL (American Sign Language) sign unrelated to the trend (3).
Is Mewing Still Popular?
The buzz around mewing continues to gain traction on social media. Over the last few months, several videos demonstrating mewing have emerged, including one posted by @beaelegantboy1 that is already nearing 200k views on TikTok at the time of publishing this article.
[embed]http://www.tiktok.com/@beaelegantboy1/video/7353248775986531585?lang=en&q=mewing&t=1718903533790[/embed]
FAQ
What does mewing mean in slang?
According to the Urban Dictionary, the term "mewing" has more than one meaning in slang. However, the most relevant one to our story could be described as "the practice of using proper tongue posture to improve facial beauty and fix malocclusion of the teeth (4)."
Can mewing too much be bad?
In her article "Can Mewing Reshape Your Face" on Health, Carley Millhone suggests that you should avoid restructuring your face without consulting a healthcare provider. However, she also notes that as little evidence exists to show that mewing works, it’s unlikely to be a risky practice (5).
References
- Frysh, Paul, and King, Lori M. "What is Mewing?". WebMD, June 10, 2024. | https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/what-is-mewing
- Nisha Mal and James Rodger. "'Mewing’, the new health craze taking over Instagram and YouTube." Coventry Live. February 18, 2019. | https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/what-is-mewing-youtube-instagram-15826752
- Dannica Ramirez. "'Mewing" Is A Viral New Trend Among Students, And This 36-Year-Old Teacher Explained Why It’s 'Smug' and "Rude." Buzzfeed, March 13, 2024. | https://www.buzzfeed.com/dannicaramirez/teacher-explains-mewing-trend
- @MewingLifestyle. "Mewing". Urban Dictionary, May 22, 2019. | https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=mewing
- Carley Millhone. "Can Mewing Reshape Your Face?". Health, March 22, 2024. | https://www.health.com/mewing-7098082#:~:text=Mewing+is+a+face%2Dreconstructing,%2C+breathing%2C+or+orthodontic+issues