Chewing Gum to Get a Square Jaw for Adult Men
"A Trend Driven by Pressure on Appearance" Criticized
"Risks Like TMJ Disorders Outweigh Benefits," Experts Warn
Among Generation Z males in the United States, chewing gum daily to accentuate a chiseled jawline has become a trend, raising concerns among dentists.
It is being promoted that chewing gum can help develop jaw muscles. [Image source: Screenshot from the Jawliner official website]
Recently, The New York Times (NYT) reported that chewing gum has become popular among Generation Z boys (born between 1996 and 2010) on social media platforms. It added that gum brands promoting their products as a way to create a more defined jawline and project a mature male image are gaining popularity among teenage boys. In particular, a brand called Jawliner markets its product as a "facial exercise product," encouraging gum chewing with slogans like "Say goodbye to a weak jaw and meet a jawline that turns heads." Tiffany Tran, a spokesperson for Jawliner, stated that one million units of the product have been sold, with 60% of buyers aged between 18 and 25.
It is being promoted that chewing gum can help develop jaw muscles. [Image source: Screenshot from the Jawliner website]
However, there are concerns that teenagers' efforts to achieve so-called "masculinity" could harm their health. Dr. Daniela Eversgard pointed out, "To achieve the desired effect, boys would need to chew gum for eight hours a day over several years," adding, "The risks outweigh the benefits." The American Dental Association also issued a statement warning that "chewing hard gum for extended periods can cause temporomandibular joint disorders, which result in pain in the jaw joint and muscles," and noted that "the trend of chewing gum for a defined jawline is rarely supported by scientific evidence."
Additionally, dermatologist Kavita Mariwala said this trend started due to pressure about appearance, emphasizing, "While the influence of social media on girls, who scour Sephora for adult skincare products, is well known, there are few studies highlighting how social media pressures boys to have a mature male jawline."
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