Social media fad of nighttime mouth taping to treat mouth breathing may pose serious risks
Review of previously published research also finds little evidence for any benefits of mouth taping
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Social media fad of nighttime mouth taping to treat mouth breathing may pose serious risks.
view moreCredit: Mohamed_hassan, Pixabay, CC0 (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
An evaluation of 10 previously published studies suggests that a recent fad of taping one’s mouth shut while sleeping to prevent mouth breathing may have little benefit and could pose serious asphyxiation risks. Dr. Brian Rotenberg of Western University in London, Ontario, Canada, and colleagues present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS One on May 21, 2025.
When the nasal passages are blocked, breathing switches from the nose to the mouth. Mouth breathing has been linked to sleep-disordered breathing, which includes conditions ranging from snoring to obstructive sleep apnea, where breathing stops and starts frequently during sleep. A recent trend amplified by social media has some people taping their mouths shut at night in efforts to treat sleep-disordered breathing by preventing mouth breathing.
Despite this fad, the safety and effectiveness of nighttime mouth taping has been unclear. To help clarify the existing evidence, Rotenberg and colleagues at St. Joseph's Health Care London and London Health Sciences Centre Research Institute systematically reviewed studies that have explored the practice. Their analysis included 10 studies that employed different research methods to evaluate the potential benefits of sealing the mouth shut—using tape or other devices, such as chin straps—for a total of 213 patients.
Out of the 10 studies, two suggested that, amongst a subset of people with mild obstructive sleep apnea, mouth taping may be associated with some slight improvement in a standard measure of sleep apnea severity known as the apnea-hyopopnea index. However, other studies found no evidence that mouth taping might help treat mouth breathing, sleep-disordered breathing, or sleep apnea.
Four of the 10 studies included discussion of a potentially serious risk of asphyxiation posed by sealing the mouth shut during sleep for people whose mouth breathing is caused by serious restriction or blockage of nasal airways. Serious nasal obstruction could result from conditions such as hay fever, chronic rhinitis, deviated septum, sinonasal disease, or enlarged tonsils.
On the basis of these findings, the authors conclude that existing evidence does not support nighttime mouth taping as a treatment for sleep-disordered breathing, including obstructive sleep apnea. However, they note that further research is warranted, as the existing literature is limited with inconsistent study methodology.
The authors add: “Mouth taping is a contemporary practice that is often celebrity-endorsed, but is not necessarily scientifically accurate. Many people are not appropriate for mouth taping, and in some cases it can lead to risk of serious health harm.”
In your coverage, please use this URL to provide access to the freely available article in PLOS One: https://plos.io/42LfIFY
Citation: Rhee J, Iansavitchene A, Mannala S, Graham ME, Rotenberg B (2025) Breaking social media fads and uncovering the safety and efficacy of mouth taping in patients with mouth breathing, sleep disordered breathing, or obstructive sleep apnea: A systematic review. PLoS One 20(5): e0323643. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0323643
Author countries: Canada
Funding: The author(s) received no specific funding for this work.
Journal
PLOS One
Method of Research
Systematic review
Subject of Research
People
Article Title
Breaking social media fads and uncovering the safety and efficacy of mouth taping in patients with mouth breathing, sleep disordered breathing, or obstructive sleep apnea: A systematic review
Article Publication Date
21-May-2025
Viral mouth-taping trend ‘sus’ says Canadian sleep expert
London Health Sciences Centre Research Institute
LONDON, ON – Mouth taping, a growing trend on social media channels like TikTok, carries serious health risks, especially for those with sleep-disordered breathing and obstructive sleep apnea, according to a paper published today in PLOS One.
The study from Lawson Research Institute (Lawson) of St. Joseph’s Health Care London, London Health Sciences Centre Research Institute (LHSCRI) and Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry also found no strong evidence of health benefits.
The trend involves placing tape over the mouth to stop ‘mouth breathing’ and promote breathing through the nose during sleep. It has been recommended by many social media influencers and celebrities who claim it can lead to better sleep, enhanced oral health and anti-aging results.
“It was concerning to us that celebrities and influencers are endorsing mouth taping without scientific evidence,” says Dr. Brian Rotenberg, researcher at Lawson, LHSCRI and Schulich Medicine & Dentistry. “In the language of social media influencers, it seemed a bit ‘sus,’ so we examined what science is telling us about this trend and whether or not it is safe.”
He and his team examined 86 existing scientific studies on the topic, including an in-depth review of 10 studies representing the experience of 213 patients. The team found mouth taping:
Has no strong scientific evidence of health benefits, contradicting claims on social media.
Can make existing sleep-disorder breathing worse by restricting airflow, putting additional stress on the respiratory system and increasing risk of suffocation when patients experience a nasal obstruction.
“Our research shows that taping the mouth shut during sleep is dangerous, especially among those who may not be aware they have sleep apnea,” adds Rotenberg, who is also an otolaryngologist and sleep surgeon at St. Joseph’s Health Care London and London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC). “These individuals are unknowingly making their symptoms worse and putting themselves at greater risk for serious health complications like heart disease.”
Rotenberg and his team point to the importance of health research in combatting misinformation and pseudoscience.
“It’s easy for misinformation to run rampant on social media; we’ve seen this countless times over the past few years,” says Jess Rhee, a Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry resident who is training at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC). “We need to make health decisions based on strong scientific evidence. Our hope is that people stop taping their mouths during sleep and recognize it is dangerous.”
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Jess Brady, Media Relations Consultant, London Health Sciences Centre, 226-927-7486, media@lhsc.on.ca
ABOUT LONDON HEALTH SCIENCES CENTRE RESEARCH INSTITUTE
At London Health Sciences Centre Research Institute (LHSCRI), our teams pioneer discoveries that transform the health of adult and paediatric patients around the world. As the research institute of London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC), we conduct research where patient care is delivered, working alongside patients, families, health-care providers and academic partners like Western University. We are leaders in advancing the understanding, diagnosis, treatment and management of diseases and health conditions through a diverse research program that ranges from laboratory-based science to clinical trials. Our research has a global impact as we build on LHSC’s 150-year legacy of health innovation and drive forward medical breakthroughs that make a difference in the lives of patients and their families. Find us online at www.lhscri.ca and on social media @LHSCRI.
ABOUT LAWSON RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Lawson Research Institute, the health innovation arm of St. Joseph's Health Care London, is committed to making and sharing discoveries that improve lives locally and internationally. Every day, Lawson researchers work to transform imagination to innovation to patient impact. Lawson leads health-care research. Find us online at sjhc.london.on.ca/research and on social media @stjosephslondon
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Journal
PLOS One
Method of Research
Content analysis
Subject of Research
People
Article Title
Breaking social media fads and uncovering the safety and efficacy of mouth taping in patients with mouth breathing, sleep disordered breathing, or obstructive sleep apnea: A systematic review
Article Publication Date
21-May-2025
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