Mouth taping is a trend that has emerged on social networks. This involves placing adhesive tape over the mouth forcing yourself to breathe through your nose, According to influential people, but also according to some athletes, notably footballer Erling Haaland, this practice would have many benefits. Especially this will help in getting better sleep.
It is believed that it promotes nasal breathing. And, it’s true, nasal breathing is healthy. The nose humidifies the air. This allows it to be filtered thanks to its hair. It also gets rid of allergens like dust, pollen as well as viruses and bacteria. When you breathe through your nose, the sinuses produce nitric oxide. It improves oxygen absorption capacity in the lungs.
Breathing through your nose also allows you to take deeper breaths, and it can help the body relax when you want to sleep. Mouth taping is based on this scientifically proven observation: nasal breathing helps you sleep better. And getting good sleep is very important for health. But this technology diverts attention from things.
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A false good idea that is not without risks
Although taping the mouth is a good idea, it is not a solution to nose breathing. First of all, when we sleep we breathe normally with our mouth closed. It is physical. And if we sleep while breathing through the mouth, it means that there is a blockage in our nose, for example we have a cold or we have some other ENT problem. It could be allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, deviation of nasal septum etc. And taping your mouth isn’t going to solve the problem!
The important thing is to identify the cause and treat it. As Dr. Marc Sapien, pulmonologist and head of the sleep center at the Bel-Air Clinic in Bordeaux, explains, “If we breathe through the mouth, it is because nasal breathing is obstructed. Mouth breathing is safe.
Instead of putting a plaster over your mouth – which can be dangerous because you need to breathe – you can do other things that are more useful for improving your breathing.”
blowing your nose is more effective
We have a habit of brushing our teeth in the morning and evening. We should get into the habit of clearing our nose with physiological serum or sea water.”This is one of the most important things you can do if you want to breathe more easily through your nose. It may also help you reduce snoring at night. According to Dr. Mark Sappen, it’s more effective than nasal strips, anti-snoring sprays, and other over-the-counter devices.” And if we get into the habit of breathing through our mouth all the time, we’ll start breathing through our nose again. Can learn from.
Second solution, respiratory rehabilitation
If you have stopped breathing through your nose – and this is common even in children – respiratory physiotherapy may be prescribed. You can also train at home. For example, we put a paper clip between our lips while watching TV. The goal of the exercise is not to let it go, which requires keeping your mouth closed and breathing through your nose. It is best to use a wooden tongue depressor for children. This is a simple method and without the risk of “mouth taping”, a practice that would be best forgotten.
