Could "mouth taping" really help me sleep better?

**SPEAKER_1** (0:01)
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**Joseph Chance** (0:49)
Could mouth taping really help me sleep better?
Thanks for asking.
Regular listeners will be aware that we've discussed a number of TikTok trends on this podcast. Not long ago, we covered the blackout challenge after it led to the tragic deaths of a number of young children. As of yet, the mouth taping trend we're talking about today, thankfully hasn't claimed any victims, at least as far as our web searches tell us. But it's nevertheless causing concern. With experts warning it's highly dangerous. Okay, what does mouth taping involve then? It's actually as simple as it sounds, in that it involves putting tape over your mouth.
The better question might be why would you want to do that? Well, the technique is supposed to improve your sleep by forcing you to breathe through your nose rather than your mouth. That reduces snoring for one thing, which is part of the appeal. And generally speaking, there are proven benefits to nasal breathing, like lubricating the nostrils, balancing the pH level in your mouth and preventing tooth decay. Indeed, TikTok influences with huge followings have sworn by mouth taping. Just listen to self-styled health coach Corey Rodriguez, who posted about it in 2021

**Corey Rodriguez** (2:06)
This is going to help your oral health, it's going to help your sleep, it's going to help dry mouth snoring because you are humidifying and moisturizing the air.

**Joseph Chance** (2:14)
That post has been liked over 330,000 times and here's an extract from a more recent clip shared by Isabel Lux to her 350,000 followers.

**Isabel Lux** (2:24)
I'm not kidding you will have the best sleep of your entire life. I can no longer sleep without it, but I do have to remind you, please get actual mouth tape, don't just put regular tape on your mouth.

**Joseph Chance** (2:32)
Right now, if you search for the hashtag on TikTok, you'll find literally thousands of posts. Why is it dangerous then? Since the trend went viral, a number of media outlets have been quick to set the record straight. Healthline lists the risks of mouth taping as obstructed breathing, worsening of sleep apnea, sleep disruption, and irritation or allergic reactions caused by using a product that isn't designed for use on the human body. People who sleep with their mouths open often do so precisely because their nose is congested, meaning it helps them to breathe. Nasal obstruction can lead to hypoxia, which is a drop in the level of oxygen in the blood. So taping your mouth exacerbates those risks.
Are there other options for better nighttime breathing? You may wish to consider changing your sleeping position, in particular if you're a back sleeper, in which case sleeping on your side may give better results, at least in terms of reducing snoring. If that's the reason you're considering mouth taping, you may want to get evaluated for sleep apnea instead. As we told you in a recent episode on the subject, many people are unaware they even have the condition, and there are a range of suitable treatments which have a much better chance of working than putting tape on your mouth. Finally, and we can't stress this enough, anytime you have a health query, get advice from a qualified professional, not from TikTok or any other social media platform.
There you have it.
Now you know what mouth taping is. In under 3 minutes we answer your questions and help you understand the true meaning behind the trends, concepts and acronyms that are making headlines. Listen along and you will really know it for sure.

**SPEAKER_2** (4:19)
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