Key Takeaways
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You can often fix a mild to moderate asymmetrical jaw naturally if the cause is linked to posture, muscle imbalance, chewing on one side, or sleeping habits.
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The most effective natural methods are balancing your chewing habits, using mouth tape, improving posture, and using targeted facial exercises.
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Natural fixes work best when asymmetry is caused by soft-tissue and habit-driven issues, not severe bone structure differences.
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Seek professional help if you experience jaw pain, a severe misalignment, or dental issues.
If one side of your jawline looks different from the other, what you’re dealing with is an asymmetrical jaw.
The good news? Most mild to moderate jaw asymmetry can be improved without surgery. The fastest fixes come from correcting muscle imbalance, posture, and daily habits that shift the muscle size around your jaw.
This guide explains exactly how to fix an asymmetrical jaw naturally, why jaw asymmetry happens, the best exercises and lifestyle changes to improve facial symmetry, and the tools that accelerate your progress.
Understanding Jaw Asymmetry
Jaw asymmetry is when one side of the jaw, chin, or lower face sits differently from the other. It can show up as one side looking fuller, a tilted jawline, or a chin that doesn’t sit quite centered in the middle of your face. Most cases are caused by uneven muscle use, chewing habits, or posture, not necessarily major bone deformities.
If your asymmetry causes jaw pain or severe misalignment, it’s best to get a medical evaluation.
Read more here about what it means when you’re waking up with jaw pain.
Common Causes of Asymmetrical Jaw
Jaw asymmetry usually develops slowly because of habits that strengthen one side of the face more than the other. Let’s take a look.
Cause 1: Chewing on One Side
Regularly chewing on one side builds stronger jaw muscles on that side, creating a visible imbalance, just like if you went to the gym and lifted weights with one arm only.
The dominant side becomes more defined, while the weaker side looks softer or narrower. Over a long period of time, this habit can shift the lower jaw and lead to uneven jaw alignment.
Cause 2: Poor Posture
Forward head posture and slouching change the way your jaw sits. When your head shifts forward, one side of the jaw can take more pressure than the other, causing muscle imbalance and jaw asymmetry. This can also affect the way your tongue rests, which can also influence your overall facial symmetry.
Cause 3: Sleeping Habits
Constant pressure from sleeping on one side compresses the cheek, jaw, and soft tissues. This can subtly shift your jaw over time and reinforce existing imbalances, especially if you sleep with your neck significantly twisted or heavily on one cheek (like if you’re a stomach sleeper).
Cause 4: Mouth breathing
Does mouth breathing affect your jawline? Yes, it can. Chronic mouth breathing can impact jaw health and facial structure in a few different ways:
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Narrower face and jaw: Breathing through your mouth, especially from a young age, can result in less developed facial structures. This might give your face a narrower appearance.
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Misaligned teeth: Improper tongue posture from mouth breathing during childhood might increase the risk of crooked teeth.
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Recessed chin and weak jawline: Chronic mouth breathers might develop a receding chin, making it appear like they don’t have a jawline.
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Postural issues: Mouth breathing can also affect your head and neck posture, which, over time, can put a strain on your jaw and facial muscles. (1) (2)
You can learn more here about the effects of mouth breathing vs nose breathing on your jawline and health here.
Natural Methods to Correct Jaw Asymmetry
You can fix an asymmetrical jaw naturally by balancing your facial muscles, improving jaw posture, and correcting habits that affect your jawline, like mouth breathing.
Method 1: Balanced Chewing and Muscle Use
Start chewing evenly on both sides to balance out jaw muscles. Avoid leaning on your jaw, biting only on one side, or talking heavily out of one side of your mouth. These small shifts help your jaw move more symmetrically.
Method 2: Posture Correction and Tongue Position
Better posture means more balanced jaw muscles, so be sure to avoid a forward head posture and slouching and focus on sitting and standing in an aligned, straight position.
Keeping your tongue on the roof of your mouth supports proper lower jaw placement. This may help to improve facial symmetry over time and reduce jaw misalignment, too.
Method 3: Facial Exercises and Myofunctional Therapy
Exercises that strengthen the tongue, facial muscles, and jaw can improve jaw width and symmetry while also supporting your breathing patterns and tongue posture.
They can help to tighten the jawline naturally and retrain the body to use nasal breathing to prevent the adverse effects of mouth breathing.
A myofunctional therapist can help you with a personalized program to address your specific needs. This therapy is particularly effective when begun in childhood to promote proper facial growth and development.
Here’s an example of 10 facial exercises to get a chiseled jawline.
Method 4: Stop Mouth Breathing
Mouth breathing is a significant cause of poor facial aesthetics, like a weak or asymmetrical jaw. Since most of us mouth breathe at night, it’s not always something we can consciously control.
Therefore, mouth taping is the best tool to prevent mouth breathing. You can apply it before bed and even pair it with nasal strips to make switching over to nasal breathing even easier.
Keep reading about the effects mouth breathing has on your jawline.
Method 5: Chew Gum
Many people are surprised to hear that the simple, everyday activity of chewing gum can be used as an effective tool to help define your jawline.
When we chew gum, we're constantly engaging and working out the muscles in our jaw, specifically the masseter muscle, one of the main muscles used during the chewing process.
The repetitive motion of chewing can help to build muscle in this area, which over time can lead to greater masseter strength and a sharper, more defined jawline. (3)
Here’s our list of the best chewing gum for jawline definition.
Products That May Help Correct Jaw Asymmetry
These tools support better breathing, jaw posture, and nightly muscle balance.
Dream Recovery Mouth Tape
Dream Recovery Mouth Tape is crafted from organic bamboo silk, coupled with a robust yet gentle hypoallergenic adhesive, offering an exceptionally soft and luxurious mouth taping experience compared to other brands on the market.
Not only does organic bamboo silk feel amazing, but it is also breathable, antibacterial, and eco-friendly, which is important to consider since mouth tape is a single-use product.
Unlike other mouth tapes, Dream Recovery Mouth Tape is strong enough to remain secure throughout the night but is also kind to sensitive skin without leaving irritation or residue.
Dream Recovery Mouth Tape also offers different choices in design based on your unique preferences. It comes in both strips, which are placed vertically over the center part of the lips, or a full tape design that covers the whole mouth in a choice of beautiful colours.
Learn more about mouth taping for a defined jawline.
Second Wind Nasal Strips
Have you been wondering, “Why can’t I breathe through my nose?”. Well, then you might benefit from nasal strips.
Nasal strips are adhesive bands that gently lift the sides of the nose to open the nasal passages, making it easier to breathe through your nose. They can be effective tools for improving airflow through your nose in order to reduce the likelihood of mouth breathing.
Dream Recovery’s Second Wind Nasal Strips offer an instant way to breathe easier without the risk of skin irritation.
These tried and tested strips are designed to deliver up to 33% more airflow after application, making them the best pick for nasal breathing problems, better sleep, improved workouts, and less snoring.
Shop Second Wind Nasal Strips now.
Benefits of Fixing Jaw Asymmetry Naturally
Improving jaw symmetry has benefits for both appearance and function.
Benefit 1: Better Facial Symmetry
Once jaw muscles balance out, your jawline becomes more even, your chin might appear straighter, and your entire facial structure can look more harmonious.
Benefit 2: Reduced Pain and Muscle Tension
Relaxing overactive muscles and strengthening weak ones reduces jaw tension, headaches, and discomfort that can stem from jaw imbalances.
Benefit 3: Improved Breathing and Oral Posture
Good jaw alignment supports proper tongue posture and better nasal breathing, which further helps your facial structure stay balanced long-term, while also supporting better sleep and general health and well-being.
Common Mistakes to Avoid While Fixing Asymmetrical Jaw Naturally
Small errors in technique or awareness can prevent progress or worsen muscle imbalance.
Mistake 1: Doing Random Exercises Without Technique
Using facial exercises without the proper form or control may activate the dominant side more. It’s important to be fully present and perform these exercises in a slow, controlled manner to restore symmetry.
Mistake 2: Expecting Quick Results
Jaw asymmetry can take a long time to correct, and it usually improves very gradually. Many people stop too early because they expect instant changes. Consistency for several weeks or months is required to see results.
Mistake 3: Overworking Your Jaw
Excessive gum chewing or jaw exercises can place too much strain on the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), the hinge-like joint that connects your jaw to your skull. Overworking this joint can lead to TMJ disorders. (1)
To avoid TMJ issues, it’s important to limit gum chewing to shorter durations (15-20 minutes at a time), follow the correct instructions of your facial exercise programme, and take frequent breaks to let your jaw get some rest.
Support Your Jaw Health With Dream Recovery Mouth Tape and Nasal Strips
Mild jaw asymmetry is a common concern, however, it can easily be improved with the right exercises, tools, and habits.
If you want to improve your jaw alignment faster, focus on your breathing habits and oral posture during sleep.
Dream Recovery Mouth Tape and Second Wind Nasal Strips help you maintain proper tongue position, reduce mouth breathing, and balance jaw muscles overnight. These small tools can significantly amplify the results of your exercises and lifestyle changes.
Invest in your jawline now with Dream Recovery.