Mouth taping has become a popular sleep hack on social media. Influencers promote it as a way to improve sleep quality, reduce snoring, or even treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Some people also say mouth taping prevents bad breath and dry mouth. But does it really live up to the hype?

Mouth taping is exactly what it sounds like: placing a small strip of tape over your lips before bed. The goal is to keep your mouth closed to encourage breathing through your nose.

While nose breathing can be helpful for some people, the benefits of mouth taping don’t apply to everyone. Here’s what you should know about mouth taping and why it’s not smart to use mouth taping as a strategy without your doctor’s approval.

What’s the Point of Mouth Taping?

The idea behind mouth taping is simple: keeping the mouth closed directs airflow through the nose instead of the mouth. In theory, this warms, filters, and humidifies the air you’re taking in. It also forces you to breathe through your nose instead of your mouth.

Nasal breathing may help reduce snoring. Mouth breathing is common among people who snore or don’t breathe well at night. That’s why mouth taping is often marketed as a low-cost and easy solution to sleep problems.

Many people with OSA breathe through their mouths at night. OSA occurs when the upper airway collapses during sleep. People with OSA have repeated blocking of airflow throughout the night. Blockages can be related to the size of your neck or the soft tissues in the back of your throat.

Other factors that affect your risk include:

• Body fat distribution
• Sleeping position
• Alcohol and tobacco use
• Side effects of medication

OSA leads to drops in oxygen levels that prevent a restful night’s sleep. Closing the mouth doesn’t fix many of the issues responsible for sleep apnea. Sometimes, it can make breathing harder and worsen the problem.

Despite the benefits online influencers claim, mouth taping isn’t a proven way to treat OSA. It has the potential to do more harm than good.

Potential Risks of Taping Your Mouth Closed

There are several ways mouth taping can be bad for people with OSA. Here are some possible problems to keep in mind.

Blocked Nasal Passages

Nasal congestion happens. If you have allergies, a cold, or a deviated septum, you may have trouble breathing out of your nose. The combination of a clogged nose and a taped-shut mouth reduces airflow and is dangerous for people with OSA.

Lower Oxygen Levels

Limited airflow from having your mouth taped shut can lead to drops in blood oxygen. This triggers people with OSA to wake up frequently and keeps them from getting the sleep they need.

Skin Irritation or Discomfort

If the idea of having tape on your mouth all night sounds uncomfortable, that’s because it generally is. Mouth taping should only be done using skin-safe, medical-grade tape. Even so, the tape can still cause rashes, sores, or lip irritation, especially if you use mouth tape every night.

Delays in Effective Treatment

Relying on mouth taping may give you a false sense of security. You may think you’re doing something to treat OSA when you’re really not. This can delay a proper evaluation or sleep study to diagnose your sleep disorder.

If you’ve already been diagnosed with OSA and believe mouth taping helps (without any actual proof), you may be tempted to stop your current OSA treatment plan. Doing so means your OSA isn’t being managed properly.

Mouth taping can interfere with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment. You should follow the instructions you receive from your healthcare provider on using your CPAP the right way. Taping your mouth isn’t part of the usual guidelines.

OSA can come with serious health risks. When left untreated, it increases the chance of heart disease, accidents, and other dangers. You should be wary of remedies like mouth taping that promise to fix the problem without your doctor’s help. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Following your healthcare provider’s treatment advice is a safer bet.

Better Ways To Manage Sleep Apnea

Rather than experimenting with unproven methods, people with OSA need valid treatments to protect their health.

CPAP therapy is the gold-standard treatment for OSA. It works by delivering pressurized air to keep the airway open throughout the night. CPAP can reduce symptoms and lower long-term health risks. But CPAP isn’t the only way to treat OSA.

Custom-fitted dental devices can be prescribed to reposition the jaw and tongue. Depending on your anatomy, these oral devices can help keep the airway open while you sleep. Surgery is also a potential treatment, depending on your particular needs.

Higher body weight raises the risk of OSA. If your OSA is linked to obesity, weight loss may improve your symptoms. Your healthcare provider can offer resources and a treatment plan to reduce your weight and improve OSA at the same time. Other helpful lifestyle changes include regular physical activity, limiting alcohol and caffeine intake, and maintaining healthy sleep routines.

Other times, something as simple as changing your sleep position is enough to get OSA under control. You may be able to use certain pillows to help you get into a better breathing position while you sleep.

Should You Try Mouth Taping?

Mouth taping may sound like a simple solution. But it’s not a proven or safe treatment option for moderate or severe OSA. You shouldn’t turn to unproven methods like mouth taping to replace your doctor’s advice. If mouth taping interferes with prescribed therapy for OSA, it can be a health hazard.

Nonetheless, some research suggests that mouth taping may help in certain OSA cases. Specifically, people with mild sleep apnea who breathe through their mouths may see improvements with mouth taping.

But before trying this at home, you should ask your healthcare provider. They can confirm whether mouth taping is safe for you to try (based on whether you have blocked nasal passages or not). They can also let you know if your OSA is mild enough to consider trying this over other treatments.

Evidence-based care matters. Social media trends aren’t a substitute for therapies that are backed up by scientific evidence. Consult a sleep specialist before taking your chances.

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