When to see someone
A plain list of who to contact for each sign the course can raise, and how soon. It does not diagnose anything. Pages in the course that raise one of these signs link here.
In an emergency, call now
For chest pain, fainting, a sudden change in vision or speech, severe breathlessness, or any thought of harming yourself, call your local emergency number now.
112 across Europe
999 in the UK
911 in the US and Canada
Elsewhere, your local emergency number.
Do not use the academy for this. The community, messages and our inbox are not monitored for emergencies, and we are not a medical service.
Before you start
Mewing Academy is education. It is not medical or dental care. Nothing here diagnoses, treats or replaces a professional.
Check with your doctor or dentist before you start. Check again before any new practice if you have a health condition, are pregnant, have had jaw, dental or airway treatment, or take medication that affects breathing or sleep.
You choose and do every practice at your own risk. Stop if something hurts.
Who to see, and how soon
Find the sign, then the person, then how soon. GP means your family doctor. If a professional tells you something different from a page in the course, follow the professional.
How soon:
Now call or go now, before anything else.
Today the same day.
This week make the booking this week.
Soon book the first ordinary appointment you can get.
Before you go on pause that practice until you have been seen.
At your next visit raise it at an ordinary appointment; there is no rush.
Any time ask when it suits you.
Jaw and teeth
A dentist first. For joint pain that lasts, an orofacial pain or TMJ specialist, usually through your dentist.
A jaw that locks: it will not open fully, or gets stuck.
See: A dentist. How soon: Now
A jaw stuck open that will not close.
See: An emergency department. How soon: Now
A click that hurts, sharp pain at the hinge in front of the ear, a catch, or an opening smaller than usual, lasting beyond a few days.
See: A dentist, who may refer you to an orofacial pain or TMJ specialist. How soon: Before you go on
Before any jaw or chewing work: pain on opening or chewing, or an opening less than two fingers wide.
See: A dentist. How soon: Before you go on
Before harder food or gum: crowns, veneers, bridges, implants, braces or aligners, loose teeth, gum disease, a recent extraction, or a painless click you already have.
See: Your dentist, for a word on what your teeth and jaw can take. How soon: Before you go on
Before jaw-opening, chewing-muscle or release work: diagnosed jaw-joint trouble, or a night guard.
See: Your dentist. How soon: Before you go on
Waking with a sore jaw or sore teeth, or someone hears you grind.
See: A dentist, before any jaw holds or presses. How soon: Before you go on
A tooth that aches after chewing or gum, feels loose, or makes you avoid one side, and it persists.
See: A dentist. How soon: Before you go on
Jaw ache or headaches that stay after you stop clenching or holding.
See: A dentist or your GP. How soon: Soon
Teeth that are wearing or cracking.
See: A dentist. How soon: Soon
A jaw that ends to one side as it opens, a bite that does not meet on both sides, or a dental midline that shifts as you close.
See: A dentist or an orthodontist. How soon: At your next visit
A question about braces, jaw surgery or anything cosmetic.
See: A dentist, an orthodontist or a surgeon; if it comes with distress about how you look, your GP first. How soon: At your next visit
A young person with a question about the teeth or the jaw.
See: A dentist, with their parents. How soon: At your next visit
Nose and breathing
Your GP first. An ear, nose and throat specialist (ENT) for the structure of the nose.
With nose or sinus trouble: swelling or redness around the eye, double or reduced vision, a severe headache, a stiff neck, or confusion.
See: Urgent care: an out-of-hours doctor or an emergency department. How soon: Today
Symptoms on one side only with bleeding, crusting or a bad smell.
See: Your GP or an ENT. How soon: Soon
One side blocked to the same degree, morning to night, for three weeks whatever you do.
See: Your GP or an ENT. How soon: Soon
A nose that never clears, a nostril that closes on every ordinary breath, or nasal breathing that is impossible at rest.
See: Your GP or an ENT. How soon: Soon
A rinse that hurts, brings blood, or leaves your ears blocked.
See: Stop rinsing, and see your GP. How soon: Before you go on
Trouble breathing while you are ill.
See: Urgent care or your GP; the emergency number if it is severe. How soon: Today
A fever that will not settle, or a cold that gets worse after it was getting better.
See: Your GP. How soon: Soon
A resting breath count well above twenty a minute, or breathlessness while sitting still.
See: Your GP. How soon: Soon
Your heart racing or skipping at rest.
See: Your GP. How soon: Soon
A voice that stays hoarse for weeks.
See: Your GP or an ENT. How soon: Soon
A question about antihistamines or a nasal spray.
See: A pharmacist or your GP. How soon: Any time
Breath holds and effort
Your GP. In an emergency, the number at the top of this page.
Before any breath hold: you are pregnant, or have a heart or blood-pressure condition, a lung condition, or a history of panic or anxiety.
See: Your GP; skip the holds until a doctor has cleared you. How soon: Before you go on
Before effort training: a heart or lung condition, asthma that is not controlled, being told to limit exercise, or pregnancy.
See: Your GP. How soon: Before you go on
During effort: chest pain, pressure or discomfort, fainting or nearly fainting.
See: The emergency number; no training until a doctor has cleared you. How soon: Now
During effort: dizziness, or breathlessness out of proportion to the effort, that does not settle once you stop and sit.
See: Medical help: urgent care or your GP. How soon: Now
At height: a headache, nausea or unusual breathlessness.
See: Go down, then get medical help. How soon: Now
Dizziness or lightheadedness in a hold or a slow breath session that keeps happening.
See: Your GP. How soon: Soon
Sleep
Your GP, who can refer you to a sleep doctor for a sleep study.
Any one of these: snoring with pauses, gasps or choking that someone noticed or a recording holds; waking with a gasp or a choke; sleep that does not refresh despite enough hours; regular morning headaches; heavy daytime sleepiness, including dozing as a passenger or at the wheel.
See: Your GP, about a sleep study. Never drive drowsy. How soon: This week
Any of those signs, and you use or plan to use mouth tape.
See: No tape until a doctor has seen it and said tape is fine; a booking alone is not enough. How soon: Before you go on
Loud snoring with high blood pressure or daytime tiredness.
See: Your GP. How soon: At your next visit
Reflux that reaches your throat at night.
See: Your GP. How soon: At your next visit
A child who snores most nights.
See: A paediatrician or a GP, with the child's parents. How soon: Soon
Posture, neck and muscles
A physiotherapist. Your GP for numbness, dizziness, or anything that does not pass.
Neck or back pain that is not muscle effort, pinching, or pain or tingling down an arm.
See: A physiotherapist or your GP. How soon: Before you go on
Sharp, radiating or electric pain during a stretch, a glide or release work.
See: In the jaw, a dentist; in the neck, shoulders or back, a physiotherapist. How soon: Before you go on
Numbness or dizziness that does not pass at once.
See: Your GP. How soon: Today
A sudden change in vision or speech, or anything severe or lasting.
See: The emergency number. How soon: Now
Before any neck release work: a stroke or a TIA, known carotid artery disease, or ever fainting from neck pressure.
See: Your GP; skip the neck work. How soon: Before you go on
Tongue and swallowing
A dentist, an orthodontist or an orofacial myofunctional therapist. Your GP for swallowing.
Difficulty swallowing, food that sticks, or coughing or choking on drinks.
See: Your GP. How soon: Soon
A tongue that cannot lift to the palate without the tip pulling down, or an underside that feels tethered.
See: A dentist, or an orofacial or myofunctional specialist. Never force the lift. How soon: At your next visit
The same fault coming back while you do the drills correctly.
See: A myofunctional therapist. How soon: At your next visit
Mood and distress
Your GP or a mental-health service. The emergency number for any thought of harming yourself.
Any thought of harming yourself, or severe distress.
See: The emergency number. How soon: Now
Mirrors and photos: one of these that persists, or two or more. Mirror time climbing; mood worse after checking than before; checking in every reflective surface; avoiding photos, people or plans because of how you look; thoughts about your appearance crowding work, meals or conversation; people close to you remarking on how much you check.
See: Tell one person you trust, and see your GP or a mental-health professional. Put the photo work away meanwhile. How soon: Today
A dread of company that shapes your days.
See: Your GP or a mental-health professional. How soon: Soon
Anything else
Worry is reason enough to ask.
Anything else about your health that worries you.
See: Your GP or your dentist. How soon: Any time
What to bring, and what to say
Bring your notes from The Record, or your notebook: which practice you do, since when, and the dated lines that show the sign. Write your questions down before you go.
Say plainly what you practise, for example resting the tongue on the palate, keeping the lips closed and breathing through the nose, for so many weeks. If you do not know which specialist to see, start with your GP or your dentist; they can refer you. If a professional tells you to stop a practice, stop it.
Questions about the course itself, not about your health: [email protected].
