The Potential Benefits of Mouth Taping

Taping one's mouth shut may seem like a tongue-in-cheek method to prevent overeating, but it's actually a health trend that's been touted in recent years as a means for achieving both improved sleep and athletic gains. Mouth taping is the practice of taping the lips closed with a strip of specialized skin-safe tape (a porous surgical-type) in order to prevent breathing through the mouth. It's most commonly a practice that is done by some during sleep to ensure nose breathing. Nighttime mouth breathers can suffer from issues such as sore throat, bad breath, and dry mouth. Mouth breathers also commonly snore. Nasal breathing during sleep can potentially help reduce sleep disturbances, lower blood pressure, filter allergens, improve brain function, humidify the air you breathe to moisturize your throat and decrease anxiety. There may be a few dental benefits to mouth taping as well. A few common results of nasal breathing for oral health include reduced teeth grinding, fewer cavities, better breath and decreased risk of gum disease. Mouth breathing can start at a young age with adverse effects. According to Case Reports in Otolaryngology, mouth breathing in children may negatively impact their craniofacial growth, behavior, memory and learning rate. While the scientific research is scarce (only a few small studies have been done on the benefits of mouth taping for sleep) most of the pro-taping advocacy is based on anecdotal evidence from those who have tried it successfully. Sleep benefits aside, mouth taping is also being practiced by athletes and by people during physical exercise. Experts say that maintaining nasal breathing during workouts can potentially strengthen respiratory muscles, reduce airway irritation and allow maximum oxygen uptake. Nasal breathing during physical exercise can help harness the benefits of nitric oxide, which opens up your blood vessels and airways, as well as having natural anti-viral qualities to prevent airborne illness. Those who can train themselves to nasal breathe during workouts, either with or without tape, have quicker recovery speeds and reduce the buildup of lactic acid for better cardiovascular performance. A third reason some choose to mouth tape is for vanity and because they believe it will alter the appearance of their face. This trend went viral on social media last year when proponents shared that the secondary effects of mouth taping for sleep included a more-defined jawline and a higher visibility of the maxilla muscle for a sharper facial structure. While health professionals doubt this result can be achieved within a short period of time, some do say that chronic mouth breathing over time can change the shape of the face, and according to a 2022 study, breathing through the nose creates a balanced growth of facial structures. As certain ingredients in normal household tapes can cause skin irritation, it's key to use a medical grade, skin-safe and hypoallergenic tape, taped vertically over both lips. Mouth tape is widely available at both drug and department stores and online for around $10 or less for a 30-to-90-day supply. For dedicated users, a popular and highly rated brand of mouth tape called "Hostage" also sells mouth tape subscriptions at $60 annually with a 90-day supply delivered directly to your home every three months. As with any new health regime, do your due diligence and use caution. Be sure to consult your personal health care practitioner who is familiar with your individual medical needs before mouth taping. Because snoring can be a sign of undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea, discussing your symptoms with a physician first is very important. If mouth tape seems too drastic of a first step for better sleep but mouth breathing is a concern, you can try a few other behavior modifications. For improved nighttime nasal breathing, professionals recommend avoiding alcohol before bed, not smoking, sleeping with a nasal strip, elevating your head with a pillow and running a humidifier in your bedroom.