Mouth Taping Benefits: How This Unique Hack Improves Health

After more than a decade of clinical experience as a functional medicine practitioner, I am no stranger to unique wellness trends. One that is currently rising to the top? Mouth taping. Yes, you read that correctly and it is exactly what it sounds like. This practice that involves taping your mouth shut while you sleep, has gained popularity in recent years as a potential tool for a range of health problems.

While mouth taping might seem like a drastic practice, many people - including some of my patients who’ve tried it - swear by its effectiveness, and therefore it has become an increasingly common topic of discussion in the world of health and wellness. But before you go running off to buy tape, read on to learn more about the best practices and benefits of mouth taping and whether or not you should add this to your regular sleep routine.

What Are The Benefits Of Mouth Taping?

So you’re probably wondering how sleeping with a tiny piece of tape over your mouth can benefit your health. Well, you might be surprised. Sometimes the smallest of changes can yield the biggest results! These are some of the top reported mouth taping benefits.

1. It can help minimize snoring

Close to 25% of adults snore in their sleep on a regular basis (and up to 45% of adults snore on occasion), with snoring being more common in men, overweight individuals, and those diagnosed with sleep apnea. (1) Since snoring is most often caused by mouth breathing during sleep, one of the most common mouth taping benefits is encouraging nasal breathing which may reduce or eliminate snoring altogether. 

2. It can reduce symptoms of sleep apnea

Sleep apnea is a condition characterized by repeated pauses in breathing during sleep with symptoms including snoring and chronic fatigue. The most common treatment for sleep apnea is a continuous positive airway (CPAP) machine as a way to help open up your upper airway while you sleep. Mouth taping has been shown to be a more effective - and comfortable - treatment for sleep apnea as it also keeps your airways open to prevent pauses in breathing. (2)

3. It can improve sleep quality

Why do you sleep better with your mouth taped shut? Whether you have sleep apnea or not, when compared to mouth breathing, nasal breathing has been shown to improve sleep quality by reducing the frequency and duration of sleep disturbances. (3)

4. It can improve oxygenation

When it comes to oxygen exchange, it is more efficient to breathe through your nose rather than your mouth. Basically, mouth taping is a great way to ensure you are getting maximum oxygen levels to your body. And since your body requires oxygen for your cells to produce enough ATP - the energy currency of your body - you are essentially helping improve all areas of your health by mouth taping at night since the health of your cells influence everything from your energy levels, brain health, cardiovascular function, and immune health!

5. It can reduce dry mouth

Waking up with a sore, dry throat every morning is a tell-tale sign that you breathe through your mouth while you sleep. This is because when you breathe through your nose, your sinuses add moisture to the air you take in. However, this doesn’t happen when you breathe through your mouth. Not only can mouth taping prevent these uncomfortable symptoms, it can also reduce the risk of dental problems due to dry mouth, which brings me to my next point.

6. It can reduce the risk of dental problems

Do dentists recommend mouth taping? It depends on the dentist, however since a dry mouth changes the acidity levels in your saliva, it ends up also throwing off the pH balance in your mouth which can contribute to a more corrosive environment that leads to tooth decay, gum disease, and other dental problems.

What Kind Of Tape Should I Use?

It is important to use mouth tape that is gentle on your skin and won’t cause any irritation since you will be using it for a prolonged period of time. Due to the rise in popularity of mouth taping, more brands are coming out with tape specifically designed to wear overnight. Another option is to use surgical tape since it is easy to remove and hypoallergenic.

Regardless of what tape you choose to use, test it out on your skin during the day to make sure it doesn’t irritate you. And this should go without saying - but don’t tape your mouth closed too tightly as this can be dangerous! Your tape should be just secure enough to not pop off from slight movement.

The Takeaway

Does mouth taping actually work? While mouth taping benefits are vast, more research needs to be done to understand the correlation between this practice and its benefits completely. But if you are looking solely at anecdotal evidence, you’d have more than enough reason to give this practice a try! Just always be aware of your particular health condition before trying anything new and talk with your doctor if you are unsure if mouth taping is the right choice for you.

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