by Dr Deborah Lee, Dr Fox Online Pharmacy
Image from https://pixabay.com/users/lillycantabile-8561101/
What is mouth taping?
Have you heard about mouth taping? Yes, it is what it says it is – the process of applying sticky tape to tape your mouth shut at night. This forces you to breathe through your nose throughout the night. Proponents of mouth taping say it has many health advantages.
Before you get too excited and rush home to give it a try, please read the following.
Why tape your mouth shut?
Mouth taping enthusiasts claim that mouth taping has many health benefits, because it forces you to breathe through your nose. This means you are breathing in warmer, moister air. Mouth breathing also leads to an increase in the production of nitric oxide within your sinus cavities.
Nitric oxide has many uses in the human body. It is a powerful vasodilator, that helps regulate blood pressure and is important for cardiac function. In the brain, nitric oxide is important for cognition and memory. Nitric oxide also plays a vital role in the immune system and helps regulate the immune response. It is also known to calm anxiety and help induce sleep.
In fact, humans were designed to breathe through the nose – the mouth was meant for eating and drinking. Mouth breathing increases vascular resistance in the lungs and is less efficient for blood oxygenation.
What are the benefits of mouth taping?
Mouth taping may be a successful treatment for those who snore. It has been shown, in one medical research study to improve snoring in those with mild sleep apnea. However, research into any other benefits is lacking.
Other people who might benefit from mouth taping include those with –
- Bad breath
- Dental caries
- Gum disease
- Teeth grinding at night
- Frequent night-time waking
- Dry mouth
- Abnormal breathing during sleep
- ADHD type symptoms
- Delayed growth in children
- Reduced cognition
Mouth taping is recommended by some medical, dental and sleep websites.
Who is mouth taping suitable for?
Mouth taping can be tried on anyone on the above list, with a few provisos.
- Always make sure they can breathe properly through the nose before taping the mouth shut. Try taping the mouth in the daytime and practice breathing through your nose to get used to it, before trying to do this at night. It is not suitable for babies or small children.
- Always use a medical tape such as micropore which can be ripped off easily and is unlikely to give any type of allergic reaction.
- If you have difficulty sleeping and are concerned, see your GP for a sleep diagnosis first. Sleep apnea is a condition that can have serious consequences, and it should be properly diagnosed and assessed before deciding how to treat it.
How to use mouth tape
You can purchase special mouth tape or use a medical tape such as micropore. Purse your lips and place the tape across horizontally just before you put your head down to sleep. Don’t apply any face cream first as it won’t stick.
It may take several nights for mouth taping to work. You may wake up in the morning and find you ripped the tape off in your sleep.
Proponents of mouth taping are keen to stress this is perfectly safe. Your body is designed to breathe through your nose, and it is a simple, and safe technique.
Side effects of mouth taping
- Can cause soreness or irritation at the site of the tape, or where the tape is ripped off in the morning
- Can hurt when the tape is removed as this also pulls out facial hair
- Difficulty breathing through the nose if there is any nasal obstruction
- May cause disrupted sleep
- May cause anxiety as taping the mouth shut is unnatural
Don’ t tape the mouth of anyone who might vomit in the night
Who should not use mouth tape?
- Anyone who cannot breathe through their nose
- Babies and small children
- Those with sleep apnea – they need a proper sleep assessment first
- Anyone with an allergy to the tape]
- Any acute disruption to breathing through the nose such as a bad cold or a severe bout of allergy such as hay fever
What if mouth tape doesn’t work?
Mouth tape experts suggest that if taping your mouth doesn’t work after trying hard at the technique for a few weeks, you should see an ENT consultant. Everyone should be able to breathe through their nose, and if you can’t, this points to there being something wrong.
You can also help your night-time breathing by lying on your side. Put a tennis ball down your boxer shorts so you cannot roll on your back in your sleep.
Alternatively, you could try applying nasal strips, designed to hold the nasal passages open.
If you suffer from allergies this can lead to disturbed sleep. If you have asthma, you need to work hard with your GP and/or respiratory Consultant, at getting the best control of your asthma symptoms. Be aware of what could be disturbing your sleep and get appropriate help. It’s important not to waste time on mouth taping if you have serious symptoms that indicate worsening asthma.
For more information
- Sleep Foundation – Mouth taping for sleep
