While mouth taping seems like an easy solution for mouth breathing during sleep, you want to stay away from the adhesive. Sleep specialist Dr. Cinthya Pena Orbea tells the Cleveland Clinic, "Most of the evidence is anecdotal. There is not strong enough evidence to support that mouth tape is beneficial." Dr. Pena Orbea points out that only a few studies have tried to test out mouth taping as a solution for mouth breathing. However, these studies have produced mixed results. Whether or not mouth-taping works for you will depend on other factors that you should be aware of first.
The Sleep Doctor adds that there are side effects to mouth taping not mentioned on social media. Some side effects include pain around the lips when removing the tape, trouble breathing if you have nasal congestion, increased anxiety, and irritation of the lip area. The Sleep Doctor adds that mouth taping can be life-threatening if you have sleep apnea. Sleep apnea usually goes undiagnosed, and mouth taping can hurt a potential diagnosis. Because sleep apnea is dangerous for your health, you will want to get tested before trying mouth taping.
