Gum has been a steady partner through various journeys of life- be it keeping us awake during a college lecture, refreshing breath before a date and sharpening focus during an important task. However, back in the day and to date, there has been this belief turned into a trend where people chew gum to get that snatched jawline .
Why is it so and does chewing gum really give you an improved jawline? Know below!
Why do people want a strong jawline?


The current times are driven by how people look. Before a word rolls off their tongue, they have been judged and bracketed into a certain kind of person- just on the basis of how they look, which includes physical features and clothing style. “A strong jawline has always been an important factor in facial beauty, but I can’t think of a time when it’s been more relevant,” said Dr Andrew Jacono, a New York-based, dual board-certified facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon to USA TODAY. Indeed, there are multiple videos of people showing how you can achieve a 'snatched jawline' on social media.
This fixation is also visible in surgical trends, where according to Dr Samuel Lin, an associate professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School, chin augmentation procedures have increased in popularity by over 60% in the past decade.
Does chewing gum help get a snatched jawline?


While there could be multiple steps you could take to get a snatched jawline, according to research and experts, chewing gum is not one of them. Chewing gum strengthens the masticatory muscles, specifically in the masseter, tongue and cheek. What this can help with is improving the bite force and chewing performance.
According to a
study published in Clinical and Experimental Dental Research, people who chewed gum twice a day for four weeks had improved bite strength. Another research, showed similar results after six months.
But in both cases there were no effects observed in the shape of the jawbone or muscle thickness. Chewing gum has not been shown to make any difference in the jawline.
This is because features like jawline depend on genetics, bone structure, fat distribution and skin elasticity, rather than movement of muscles or muscle strength.
In fact, chewing gum too often could actually backfire with you getting masseter hypertrophy, which may widen the jaw rather than make it more sculpted.
How to get a sculpted jawline ?


One of the most effective strategies to have a fit jawline is to maintain your ideal body weight. This maintains the deposition of fat around the face and neck, making the underlying bone more visible.
Another important point to factor in is skincare. Yes, consistent habits such as cleansing, moisturising and sun protection can preserve collagen and elasticity, preventing sagging around the jaw and neck.
Exercises such as neck curl-ups, jaw clenches and resistance exercises can strengthen the platysma and masseter. However, these must be done with caution to prevent jaw problems and unnecessary strain on the joints of the jaw.
In the end, while chewing gum may help you with a fresh breath, feeling refreshed and easing tension, it is not your ultimate solution for a sculpted or snatched jawline.