Why is it so common for folks to have braces these days?
Why is sleep apnea on the rise?
Why are facial muscle tone and body posture important for our health?
And, how do these seemingly different topics all tie together?
In this fascinating expert interview, we explore these questions (and many more) with Dr. Mike Mew, lecturer and lead clinician at the London School of Facial Orthotropics.
Dr. Mew is a third-generation orthodontist, and his family’s techniques (known as “Orthotropics”) inspired the viral internet phenomenon known as “Mewing”.
In his chat with OraWellness, Dr. Mew explains his thoughts on why modern society is seeing more and more cases of tooth misalignment, jaws that are too small to accommodate all of the teeth, and even airway issues like sleep apnea.
He also shares his thoughts on the missing functional component of Weston A. Price’s facial deterioration theory as well as some techniques that we can habituate to try to correct some of these issues over time.
Along the way, Dr. Mew discusses the resistance that he’s encountered as he’s encouraged the orthodontic profession to:
- Dig deeper and go beyond the conventional strategy of simply using appliances to make teeth straight.
- Figure out why modern society is suffering from tooth crowding, narrow jaws, downward ‘melting’ facial structure, and airway issues that weren’t common in our ancestors.
- Create a meaningful debate with senior orthodontists about the true causes and most effective treatments for these issues.
- Compare long-term results of patients who are treated with conventional orthodontic methods vs. those who are treated with Orthotropics.
This video is a little longer than our typical expert interviews, but it’s full of eye-opening and fascinating information to help you on your path to greater oral (and whole-body) health.
Show Notes:
- 2:10 Is it normal for folks to need braces for straightening teeth?
- 4:36 Is there a connection between the craniofacial structure and issues with impaired airways?
- 13:54 The challenges of bucking the conventional system and trying to organize a meaningful scientific debate.
- 16:47 If the craniofacial structure changes, that impacts other systems in the body, too.
- 18:49 Digging deeper to find and treat true root causes instead of symptoms.
- 20:56 How facial muscles and posture shape our face (and our airway).
- 25:34 Orthotropics: exploring the tropic premise (lips together, teeth together, tongue on the roof of the mouth).
- 30:43 The earlier, the better: helping children to develop muscle-building habits.
- 36:18 The orthodontic controversy: straightening teeth vs. positively affecting the facial structure.
- 42:16 The issue with retainers.
- 45:29 The issue with fixed braces.
- 51:38 An important component that Weston A. Price missed when he explored facial deterioration.
- 1:01:40 The impact of improper swallowing.
- 1:07:44 What adults can do to positively influence their craniofacial structure.
More Info on Dr. Mike Mew:
We invite you to check out Dr. Mew’s website, www.Orthotropics.com.
If you’d like to learn more about how Dr. Mew is helping to shake up the world of orthodontics, feel free to check out www.PreventCrookedTeeth.com. You can also sign his petition to make good facial growth a health priority.
Also, here’s how to follow his work on social media:
Wrapping Up…
Phew, that was a lot of great information!
Have you or someone you know tried Mewing/Orthotropics techniques before? If so, please share your experiences in the comments below. We’d love to hear your thoughts!
We hope you found some useful takeaways to help you on your path. If you know anyone who could benefit from the information in this video, please help us to help others by sharing our work with your loved ones.
And, if you happen to know an orthodontic professional who would be willing to engage in a meaningful debate (and maybe even a long-term patient progress comparison) with Dr. Mew, please ask the dental professional to contact Dr. Mew and express their interest.
Helpful, Related Resources:
How to Straighten Teeth Without Braces [[article & video tutorial]]
How to Stop Two Common Habits that Cause Crooked Teeth [article]
Would you make your own braces if you knew how? [article]
Is it Really Wise to Have Your Wisdom Teeth Removed? [article]
Other resources:
