Grant St. Clair recently shared news about the trend of “looksmaxxing”, a general term referring to various strategies for improving appearance that initially gained popularity on incel forums and later on TikTok. One of the most popular techniques of looksmaxxing is “mewing”, which involves keeping the mouth closed and placing the tongue on the roof of the mouth to train the muscles under the jaw and tighten the skin under the chin. What exactly does this aim to achieve? In its review of the documentary film “Open Wide” about mewing, the film website Giant Freaking Robot explains:
In its simplest form, this technique involves correctly positioning the tongue, breathing through the nose with closed mouth, and maintaining proper posture while chewing food, or even chewing with the tongue in a specific manner.
But what is the purpose of all this? The documentary “Open Wide” explains that this technique aims to improve sleep, reduce pain, and most importantly, enhance the jawline according to its proponents. When correctly practiced, this technique subtly changes the shape of the face without the need for any orthodontic surgery.
As a result, some of the biggest opponents of this technique are other orthodontists. Although the father and son did not gain publicity among the general public until 2019, the documentary “Open Wide” presents the story of how the elder of them has been fighting against it for decades.
Among other things, he sees this technique as a less painful and much cheaper alternative for teenagers who would otherwise have to wear braces. However, his ideas are considered extreme, and many orthodontists warn of the dangers associated with “mewing”.
“Open Wide” tells the story of John Mew and his son Mike, who have been fighting for decades to reveal that orthodontics is useless or even harmful. They have created an alternative to traditional orthodontics called “orthotropics”. The International Association of Facial Growth (a professional association for orthotropics) describes the theory and practice of orthotropics as follows:
ORTHOTROPICS was created in 1966 to establish the direction of growth for the upper and lower teeth and comes from the Greek words Orthos (straight or correct) and Tropos (growth). “Facial Orthopedics” describes facial growth. The skulls of our direct ancestors almost always grew correctly until about 10,000 years ago when we changed our lifestyle and started consuming much softer foods. Later, we began living in houses, often cooking with tools, suffering from allergies, and we would change the way we feed babies, shortening the breastfeeding period and introducing soft complementary foods.
The act of eating soft food weakened our jaw muscles, living in enclosed spaces favored allergies, and early weaning and introduction of soft foods for infants resulted in atypical tongue habits. Orthotropists believe this leads to jaw and dental distortions. On the other hand, orthodontists believe that improperly shaped jaws are inherited and focus on straightening teeth using mechanical means such as wires and braces. They often remove some teeth to make room for others and perform surgeries to move the jaws.
Orthotropists believe that inherent malocclusions are a biological problem that should be treated naturally, without the use of mechanical means and surgery. They use removable expanding appliances to create space for all teeth and the tongue, and then apply training appliances to teach individuals to introduce changes that correct the underlying problem. If these lessons are absorbed, they can be retained forever, whereas orthodontic results must be maintained using retainers, orthotropic effects persist on their own. The best results in orthotropics are achieved in young children up to the age of 9, although treatment is possible at any age.
“Open Wide”, released in 2024 and directed by Sarah Goldblatt, describes the emergence of orthotropics through a deep dive into John and Mike Mew, their fight for revolutionizing orthodontics, and their sudden rise to popularity on social media. According to IMDb, the film presents:
John and Mike Mew, who captivate online audiences with their unconventional orthodontic theories – and now Mike must fight against the institution to maintain his practice.
John Mew believes we are all ugly, and orthodontists are responsible for that. For decades, he has waged a lonely, losing war against the industry that revoked his license to practice a long time ago. When his son Mike becomes involved in the fight, the fringe theories of the Mews become a full-blown online sensation. Now Mike must defend himself against the wrath of the institution to avoid his father’s fate.
Variety magazine published a great review of the documentary. Here is an excerpt:
The documentary tells the story of a father and son fighting to overturn traditional orthodontics. According to the official description, “John Mew has been waging a solitary war against the industry – and the teenage rite of passage that is orthodontic braces – for decades. But now, as his son Mike takes up the fight, the fringe theories of the Mews become a full-blown online sensation. Yet even as mewing goes viral on TikTok, and the Mews produce content for millions of followers, Mike finds himself pursued by the British Orthodontic Society, threatened with expulsion by the very people who have deprived his father of his license.”
The technique of “mewing” by the father and son, which lacks scientific confirmation and is highly controversial in the orthodontic world, aims to raise the jawline, alleviate pain, and improve sleep.
If eugenics comes to mind, you are not alone. One of the reviews on IMDb explicitly emphasizes this:
When the documentary starts with the statement that there is an ideal face and it looks like that little white boy and most people are deformed, the message is clear. Yes, symmetry is attractive. However, fair hair, blue eyes, and prominent jawlines are not the golden standard of attractive faces. I am sure these orthodontists have skills and techniques and help some people to some extent, but I am also sure their worldview is steeped in a white racial category.
“What Lies in a Face? The answer I’ve learned from John and Mike Mew is much more than you think,” Goldblatt said in a statement. “I was drawn to these two men because of the controversy surrounding their unconventional beliefs and discovered a story about family and legacy and why we care about what we’re interested in. It’s a real rabbit hole, and I hope others will have the pleasure, as I did, venturing into it.”
FAQ:
1. What is “looksmaxxing”?
“Looksmaxxing” is a term referring to various strategies for improving appearance that gained popularity on incel forums and later on TikTok.
2. What is the “mewing” technique?
“Mewing” is a technique that involves keeping the mouth closed and placing the tongue on the roof of the mouth to train the muscles under the jaw and tighten the skin under the chin.
3. What are the benefits of “mewing”?
According to proponents of this technique, correct practice of “mewing” can lead to better sleep, reduced pain, and elevated jawline.
4. What are the main controversies surrounding mewing?
The main controversies surrounding mewing relate to its lack of scientific validation and the potential risks associated with incorrect practice. Orthodontists also criticize it as an extreme alternative to traditional orthodontic methods.
The source of the article is from the blog hashtagsroom.com