TikTokers Swear That Chewing This Gum Can Reshape Your Jawline—But Can It? But does it work—and more importantly, is it safe? Experts weigh in
On TikTok, users swear by chewing facial fitness gum to achieve a more chiseled jawline
- On social media, influencers say chewing on hard gum has helped their jawlines become more defined.
- Several companies offer the gums, which are marketed mainly toward younger men.
- Chewing on jawline gum is unlikely to alter your face and could pose health risks, experts said.
For people seeking out a chiseled jawline, the solution might be as simple as chewing gum—at least, that’s what some people claim on social media.
On TikTok and Instagram, some influencers credit hard gums like Stronger Gum, Rockjaw, and Jawliner Fitness Chewing Gum with helping them develop strong jawlines.
“I can definitely tell just a few days in what was really happening,” influencer Carson Teagarden said in one TikTok video, noting that his jawline was “pointier,” “stronger,” and “more defined” after chewing a hard gum. He added, “Chewing this gum definitely helped make it get more defined and better.”
But can something as simple as chewing on hard gum really change your jawline? And, more importantly, is this practice safe? We tapped three dentists and an orthodontist for more information.
Vera Lair / Getty Images
What Is Jawline Gum?
There is no exact definition for gums aimed at altering your jawline, but it’s a class of gums that are hard to chew to build up muscles in your jawline. Chomping on the gum, according to the companies that make them, can help create a stronger-looking jaw.
These gums are typically marketed toward teenage boys and men in their 20s. Stronger Gum, for example, has several before-and-after photos of teen boys and men who allegedly used its product. Rockjaw, which has the tagline “Say goodbye to your weak jawline,” also mostly features photos of men.
These aren’t the only products out there aimed to enhance your jawline. The internet is packed with so-called jawline exercisers and jawline trainers, which involve users chewing on something hard, such as a chunk of silicone, to strengthen jaw muscles and get a more defined jawline.
Does the Gum Work?
Chewing these hard gums might help work the muscles in a person’s jawline. However, the impact is likely to be minimal, Mark S. Wolff, DDS, PhD, dean of the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, told Health. “The gum could have the effect of ‘bulking up’ the muscles along the side of the face—we call them the muscles of mastication,” he said. But Wolff says that “it will not directly change the jawline.”
Michael J. Wei, DDS, a cosmetic dentist in New York, agrees. “There is limited scientific evidence to support the effectiveness of facial fitness gum in achieving these specific goals,” he said, referring to altering the jawline.
Many companies cite a 2018 study that concluded that gum-chewing exercises could enhance bite force, but that study only featured 19 people and did not focus on jawline enhancement. There’s also a mouse study that’s sometimes cited that found chewing on hard things changed the jaw structure of mice, but that study focused on rodents—not humans.
When it comes to your standard chewing gum, Erin Fraundorf, DMD, owner and founder of BOCA Orthodontic + Whitening Studio, told Health that it, too, “may lead to strengthening of the masticatory (chewing) muscles,” as well as improved swallowing. But, she added, “it will not affect the appearance of your jawline.”
This line of thinking applies to anything “hard, sticky, chewy, and gooey that works your jaw muscles,” Julie Cho, DMD, a general dentist in New York City, told Health.
Is It Safe?
Doctors interviewed resoundingly discourage people from trying this. “People do many things in the name of vanity—some have the potential to be very destructive,” Wolff said. “This is one of the most destructive.”
Cho agrees. “This trend is a terrible idea and will result in more harm than benefit,” she said.
“Chewing hard foods or hard gums may break the teeth, cause muscle spasms, and injure the tissues of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), resulting in significant pain and potentially permanent damage,” Wolff explained. “Depending on the condition of their teeth, someone could break and damage the teeth.”
Cho said there’s also the risk of dislodging fillings, crowns, and bridges. You can even strain the muscles involved in chewing, leading to pain, and cause yourself to develop headaches, Fraundorf said.
While there are many proposed solutions for getting a chiseled jawline floating around on social media, Fraundorf said none will give you lasting, noticeable results. “The only way to effectively change the appearance of your jawline and its physical anatomy is through plastic surgery or injectables,” she said.
Bottom line: Chewing on rock-hard gum might seem like a simple and cheap approach to better looks, but doctors agree it’s best to pass on these products. “I’d rather hold onto my teeth than sport a superhero jawline,” Cho said.
This story originally appeared on: Health News - Author:Korin Miller
