Mouth Taping - Here are the Facts

A new oral health trend has emerged from social media platforms: mouth taping. Ever heard of this?

It's a simple intervention: Place a piece of tape over the mouth and go to bed. The idea is that the tape encourages breathing from the nose instead of the mouth at night. Influencers claim it can improve sleep, combat dry mouth, create a more defined jawline (!!) and improve dental health. That is where they got me.

I like to go to scientific studies and clinically-based evidence from experts in the field, as well as my own 38 years of experience, when making a decision about my practice and for my patients in Darien, CT.

So, I looked at recent articles by the American Dental Association spokesperson Dr. Tricia Quartey. Dr. Quartey noted that individuals typically breathe through their mouths while sleeping because of two things: nasal obstructions or anatomical issues, such as a deviated septum or enlarged tonsils. This I knew, so how would taping a mouth closed help a person who physically cannot adequately breath through their nose? You would be suffocating them!

Dr. Quartey and other experts emphasized that there is a lack of evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of mouth taping. The experts stressed that the findings from the studies showed no oral health effects. "If it’s already hard for you to breathe through your nose, you should not be mouth taping," says Quartey. Instead, the experts recommend getting evaluated by an ear, nose and throat specialist, who can diagnose and treat the underlying cause.

Nasal breathing is considered healthier and more efficient than mouth breathing, and offers several benefits."When we breathe through our nose, it filters out dust and allergens," Dr. Raj Dasgupta, pulmonologist and sleep specialist at USC Medical Center says. The nasal passages are lined with cilia, tiny hair-like structures that trap debris and germs before they enter the lungs. Inhaling through the nose humidifies the air, which is better for respiratory health. "It's beneficial, especially for asthma, because dry air can be irritating to the lungs," says Dasgupta.

At night, nasal breathing can help open the airways and reduce snoring, the experts note. Compared to mouth breathing, nasal breathing engages the diaphragm, allowing you to take deeper breaths. "Nasal breathing is used as a relaxation technique, often incorporated with meditation and yoga," says Dasgupta.

There’s no evidence that mouth taping improves the quantity or quality of sleep, says Dasgupta. "Taping your mouth does not extend your sleep and does not guarantee that you'll go into deep sleep or REM sleep, which are probably the most important sleep stages," he adds.

Additionally, there's not enough evidence showing that mouth taping improves oral health, and no proof that it helps sharpen the jawline, the experts note.

If you're concerned about mouth breathing ,snoring, or how it is affecting your sleep, talk to your doctor and dentist. Mouth taping is a trend that’s not rigorously grounded in science and something you should not try on your own. Or at all. You may have a condition that needs to be addressed, and we are here to help.