Does mouth taping really work? The benefits, risks, and what the evidence shows

Being dead to the world or going for a quick kip is how your body rests and recovers. But whether it’s not getting enough or dealing with low-quality sleep, a bad night means you’re not performing at your best.

Today, an estimated four out of ten Aussies are dealing with inadequate sleep [1]. One common sleep disorder is sleep apnoea, which disrupts the sleep cycle and prevents those deep rest cycles your body relies on.

But could something that’s trending on TikTok be the answer? In this guide, we examine mouth taping, what it is, and whether it’s actually beneficial.

What is mouth taping?

Mouth taping as a concept means taping your mouth closed to encourage nose breathing. By keeping your mouth closed, proponents say that you can do away with snoring, get better sleep, and reduce issues linked to mouth breathing, including bad breath and dry mouth [2].

Many people look at snoring as just an annoying habit, but it’s one of the most common warning signs of sleep disruption. And it’s not something that happens by chance. One study identified 173 genes linked to snoring, including being overweight and smoking [3].

How does mouth taping work?

Mouth taping involves sticking a piece of porous tape or novel porous oral patches over your mouth while you sleep. The goal is to nudge the body into nasal breathing by not allowing you to take in air through your mouth.

It’s well known that nasal breathing is generally better for you than mouth breathing, as it supports optimal oxygen exchange and filters out allergens [4]. Proponents say that mouth taping can promote healthier breathing habits at night, which is good news if you already suffer from a condition like sleep apnoea.

Unfortunately, social media does what social media always does, and that is exaggerating the benefits of mouth taping. With sleep apnea making it more likely to die of any cause, it’s natural that many sufferers see mouth taping as a potential way out, but does it work [5]?

Does mouth taping work?

It depends on what you mean by work. So few studies and limited randomised controlled trials have been conducted on it, leaving the majority of evidence anecdotal with regard to helping your body encourage nasal breathing by keeping your mouth shut at night. Some studies do exist, though. For example, one study said that mouth taping reduced the severity of sleep apnea snoring [6].

That doesn’t make it a cure for sleeping disorders, though. It’s why no doctor is going to recommend mouth taping. Amid all of the social media hype, it’s important to keep a clean perspective that mouth taping isn’t a medical treatment.

How do you mouth tape safely?

Mouth taping isn’t a form of proven treatment, so you won’t find any official guidelines on mouth taping safety. It’s why we recommend getting in touch with your GP if you’re going to try mouth taping.

If you’re going to try mouth taping, follow these three tips:

1. Test some surgical tape or patches out during the day and confirm you can actually breathe through your nose without any trouble. Likewise, watch out for any allergic reaction if you're planning on using taping as your sleep medicine.
2. If you've got a nasal obstruction because you’ve got a cold or have any structural issues, avoid taping your mouth closed entirely, as it could be dangerous, even if you're also using nasal strips.
3. The tape might stick firmly overnight, so fold one corner of the tape to make it easier to remove.

Above all, if you’re uncomfortable or if you're having trouble breathing, such as if you're experiencing mouth puffing, stop taping immediately.

What are the benefits of mouth taping?

Countless claims have surfaced on social media about mouth taping and the health benefits for mouth breathers in combatting sleep disordered breathing. Although mouth taping may benefit snoring and obstructive sleep apnea symptoms and improve ventilation, most claims aren’t supported by any science [7].

Here’s a breakdown of the most common mouth taping benefits and which of them are actually true.

Better nasal breathing

Naturally, mouth taping does lead to better nasal breathing because it forces you to breathe through your nose while you sleep. As long as you don’t have any underlying conditions that make nasal breathing difficult, it’s all but guaranteed that you’ll start breathing through your nose while you sleep if you tape your mouth closed.

Reduced snoring

With your body unable to use the mouth to breathe, it has a knock-on effect on snoring, too. One study focused on testing mouth taping with subjects who had mild sleep apnea. The conclusion was that all participants breathed through their noses, with significantly reduced snoring [8]. 

Better sleep quality

Some people might get better sleep with mouth taping, but it’s not a kill-all for every possible issue that might be ruining your kip. If you’re waking yourself up from loud snoring or you’ve got mild obstructive sleep apnea, you could see improved sleep quality [9].

Oral and dental health

The link between mouth taping and oral health is more of a logical theoretical benefit. Some say that mouth taping prevents dry mouth and helps maintain saliva flow. Saliva is your mouth’s natural defence against bacteria, so, in theory, supporting saliva flow could give you better oral health and prevent issues like gum disease and tooth decay.

Despite this, the American Dental Association makes it clear that there are no studies that back up this benefit [10]. That doesn’t mean it isn’t beneficial, but no dedicated studies have investigated the link, as of this writing.

Daytime focus and energy

Do you ever feel like you can’t get through the day without needing to chug a litre of coffee?

That lack of daytime focus and trouble concentrating all goes back to the quality of your rest the night before. An older 2019 study found that around 60% of Aussies reported at least one sleep symptom happening at least three times a week [11].

In terms of mouth taping, if you’re one of those people who can benefit from better sleep through reduced snoring, it’s natural that you’ll get the dividend of feeling more focused and energetic throughout the day. 

Athletic performance and recovery

The same goes for better physical performance. Your body relies on you sleeping like a baby so that you can train like a beast and eat like a king. Take out the sleep, and you’ll see a decline in your athletic performance.

Again, if mouth taping helps you get better-quality sleep, you’ll see the impact on your performance and how your body recovers. Where we enter the realm of fantasy is when people claim it directly improves endurance by building CO2 tolerance and helping your body to produce nitric oxide in greater quantities. Unfortunately, there’s not enough scientific evidence to prove that mouth taping at night is going to bolster your athleticism directly.

Facial structure and appearance 

Mouth taping isn’t going to contour your jawline or make your face look slimmer. Perhaps the most outlandish claim of the lot, thanks to looksmaxxing, mouth taping cannot change how you look.

The idea behind this originates from the fact that chronic mouth breathing during childhood can alter facial growth. However, when you’re an adult, your facial bones have already fully fused, meaning unless you go under the knife, you’re not going to see any changes in the mirror.

Is mouth taping safe? Risks and who should avoid it 

Mouth taping is probably safe for most people with disrupted sleep, but it can have side effects, and certain groups should avoid the practice entirely.

The main side effects include skin irritation, discomfort if you’ve got facial hair, nasal congestion, potential sleep disruption, and increased anxiety if your body feels restricted while you sleep.

As for who should avoid it entirely, at-risk groups include:

• People with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea
• Anyone with a blockage of the nasal passages
• Individuals with diagnosed respiratory conditions, unless a doctor advises otherwise
• People with anxiety disorders, since taping your mouth closed can trigger panic

Generally, if you feel uncomfortable or your oxygen intake has dropped, stop the practice. In all cases, this is something you should speak to your doctor about. Getting checked out and a thumbs-up will give you peace of mind if you’re thinking about trying this to stop mouth breathing.

When to see a doctor about snoring, mouth breathing, or poor sleep

Sometimes, mouth taping might not be the answer. If you’re already interested in mouth taping, you could benefit from seeking medical help instead. Remember, at least one in five Aussies suffers from a severe sleep disorder, but there are countless undiagnosed cases [12].

So, when should you consider seeing a doctor?

• When you think you might have a sleep disorder
• Experience severe bad breath [13]
• Have a child breathing primarily through their mouth

Sleep disorders are a real problem that means your body isn’t getting proper rest and recovery. Relying on social media trends like mouth taping could be just putting off the problem. By speaking to a doctor, you can get a proper diagnosis, access to formal sleep studies, and treatment recommendations, including Pilot’s Clinical Sleep Support.

If you’re ready to find out more about what’s keeping you up at night, get in touch with your GP as soon as possible. 

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