Surf through the waves of social media trends long enough, and you'll stumble over 'mewing', a supposed jaw-honing gem that claims to fix facial flaws without the fuss of braces or the slice of a scalpel. According to Joyce Kahng, DDS, based in California, mewing is all about the strategic placement of the tongue against the roof of the mouth, a simple tack to ward off jaw misalignment.

'Mewing' got its moniker not from the sound of a distressed cat but from a British orthodontist, John Mew, who and his son found the process in the 1970s. Mixing strategic tongue positioning with facial aesthetics and orthodontic correction, mewing has exploded on platforms like TikTok, gathering over 2.1 billion views.

But while the Mews advocated their theory by highlighting how our modern lifestyle and diet changes since the 18th century have led to smaller and more recessed jaws, most health experts, such as Isaac Chinitz, DDS, argue otherwise. According to Chinitz and cohort, genetics primarily dictate jaw size and shape.

Enter orthotropics, the Mews' version of orthodontics. By correcting 'oral posture', or the alignment of our teeth, lips, tongue, and jaw, the pair believed that they could rectify structural irregularities, enhance jaw look and function, and promote straight teeth. Quite a hefty claim for something as simple as posture, right?

So, how does one 'mew'? Well, by sucking our tongues to the roofs of our mouths, of course! This tongue twister might seem simple, but experts like Dr. Scott Cardall reckon it would take a scientific study to evaluate if there are any real, tangible results. Spoiler alert: no such study exists yet.

As cheeky as mewing sounds, experts in the oral health space are not on board. With no credible evidence to back up the mewing camp's claims, professionals like Dr. Mitchell Levine, President of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, warn that while oral posture can indeed affect health, it isn't the miracle cure-all trend advocates might have you believe.

Sure, mewing might improve the mouth show, or relieve a tingling toothache, but professionals warn that alterations like these come with a side of significant roadblocks. Issues such as breathing difficulties, irregular tongue or jaw placement, and even sleep apnea can be risk factors.

The golden question, does mewing offer any merit? The jury is out. Without any real researched backing, experts remain firm that our tongues alone can't miraculously sculpt our jaws. Yes, palate expanders can widen a narrow upper palate during development, but after that, the chances of achieving chiseled jaws using mewing are repeatedly labeled as 'nearly impossible'.

So, the not-so-pretty picture of mewing emerges. It offers a tempting glimpse into a world where we can all chisel our jaws while sipping our lattes, yet it collapses under the crushing weight of scientific skepticism. This viral trend offers exciting possibilities but lacks the concrete backing and qualified support needed for a full endorsement. In short, take mewing with a grain of salt - or perhaps a mouthful of the stuff. Don't risk your oral health on a whim, and always seek professional help when needed.