A growing social media fad encouraging people to tape their mouths shut during sleep to promote nasal breathing could lead to dangerous health consequences, according to new research.
Risks of Mouth Taping Highlighted by Medical Experts
Mouth taping, popularized by influencers and celebrities who claim benefits like improved sleep quality, better oral health, and anti-aging effects, has raised serious safety concerns among medical experts. The practice aims to prevent mouth breathing, which is associated with sleep-disordered breathing conditions such as snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea—a disorder characterized by repeated interruptions in breathing during sleep.
Dr. Brian Rotenberg, an otolaryngologist and sleep surgeon at Western University, UK, emphasized the risks: “Taping the mouth shut during sleep is dangerous, especially among those who may not realize they have sleep apnoea. This practice can worsen symptoms and increase the risk of severe health complications like heart disease.”
The study, published in the journal PLOS One, analyzed 10 previously published studies involving 213 patients. Researchers found that mouth taping or the use of devices like chin straps may restrict airflow and exacerbate existing sleep-disordered breathing by increasing respiratory stress and raising the risk of suffocation, particularly if nasal passages become obstructed.
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While two of the studies suggested mild improvements in some patients with mild obstructive sleep apnoea, the majority found no evidence that mouth taping effectively treats mouth breathing or sleep apnoea. Four studies highlighted the potentially serious risk of asphyxiation for individuals with nasal airway blockages caused by conditions such as hay fever, chronic rhinitis, deviated septum, sinonasal disease, or enlarged tonsils.
Experts caution that the social media trend of mouth taping during sleep could be harmful, urging people to seek medical advice before trying such methods.
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