Mouth Taping: Is This TikTok Trend a Miracle Cure for Dry Mouth?

Mouth taping has been a growing trend over the past few years, promoted especially on TikTok and Instagram. The idea gained pop culture traction with the release of a 2020 book by James Nestor entitled, “Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art,” which describes the benefits of nose breathing and recounts the author’s experience of mouth taping. 

Social media users have used this book as a jumping-off point for recording their own escapades with mouth taping, often touting it as a miracle cure for dry mouth, insomnia, snoring, and a host of other issues. TikTok trends, however, are not known for their safety — FDA-approved treatment methods for dry mouth include electrostimulation via the SaliPen, medication, and artificial saliva. 

It’s time to look at the science behind the controversial trend of mouth taping.  

What is Mouth Taping?

Mouth taping is when you tape your mouth closed at night, forcing yourself to breathe through your nose. The idea behind this modification is that nose breathing is healthier than mouth breathing, and can prevent your mouth from drying out at night, help you sleep better, and heal a host of other sleep-related issues. 

The Negative Effects of Mouth Breathing on Oral Health

Mouth breathing can have significant negative effects on oral health, as well as overall health. 

It can lead to:

1. Dry Mouth (Xerostomia): Mouth breathing decreases saliva production, which is essential for neutralizing acids and washing away bacteria. This increases the risk of:
   • Cavities: Without enough saliva, bacteria and food particles stay on teeth longer, leading to higher chances of tooth decay.
   • Gum disease: Dry mouth contributes to inflammation of the gums, making them more susceptible to infection. Chronic mouth breathing can accelerate the progression of gum disease.
   • Bad breath: Saliva helps break down food particles and bacteria in the mouth. A lack of saliva allows sulfur-producing bacteria to thrive, leading to persistent bad breath.
2. Misalignment of Teeth & Jaw Issues: Chronic mouth breathing, especially in children, can lead to improper jaw development, causing an elongated face, narrow palate, and dental malocclusion (misaligned bite).
3. Increased Risk of Oral Infections: The lack of saliva can make it easier for bacteria and fungi to grow, increasing the chances of oral infections like thrush.

The Benefits of Nose Breathing

Nose breathing, as opposed to mouth breathing, has many beneficial side effects. 

Nose breathing:

• Filters and humidifies air: The nose has tiny hairs and mucus that trap dust, allergens, and pathogens, preventing them from reaching the lungs. Taking in air through the nose also humidifies and warms it, making it easier for the body to process.
• Improves oxygen absorption: Nose breathing promotes the production of nitric oxide, which improves oxygen delivery to cells and may improve performance during exercise.  
• Prevents poor oral health: Chronic mouth breathing can lead to tooth decay, gum disease, teeth disfigurement, and even change the shape of your mouth or jaw. Nose breathing prevents these issues and helps maintain a healthier oral environment.
• Supports better sleep: Nose breathing reduces the risk of snoring and sleep apnea by keeping the airway open and regulating airflow, leading to deeper, more restorative sleep.

While the benefits of nose breathing are generally accepted in the medical community, the exact method of mouth taping has not been researched enough to conclude its effectiveness. According to WebMD, “Mouth taping has not been proven to treat any health issue.” 

Is Mouth Taping Dangerous?

Even more worrying than a lack of scientific evidence in the defense of mouth taping are its potential dangers. Mouth taping can cause anxiety from having tape on your mouth, and it can also make sleeping uncomfortable, the exact opposite of its purpose. 

Mouth taping can also end up restricting your body from getting enough air, especially if your nose is stuffed. This can lead to sleep apnea, because your lungs are getting only a small amount of air. 

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by repeated interruptions in breathing during sleep. These pauses in breathing can last for a few seconds or minutes and may occur multiple times per hour. Symptoms of sleep apnea typically include loud snoring, gasping for air during sleep, excessive daytime sleepiness, difficulty concentrating, and morning headaches.

There are several treatment approaches to sleep apnea:

• Lifestyle changes such as weight loss, avoiding alcohol, and sleeping on your side.
• Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, which uses a machine to deliver air pressure through a mask to keep your airway open.
• Oral appliances, which work by pulling your jaw or tongue forward while you sleep, opening your airway. 
• Implantable devices that detect each breath and send an electrical impulse to stimulate the nerves that move the tongue, thereby opening your airway while you sleep.
• Surgery to remove excess tissue blocking the airway.

Managing sleep apnea is crucial, as untreated cases can lead to serious health complications such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

Mouth Taping: Disguising Underlying Conditions?

Another danger of mouth taping is that it may disguise an underlying medical condition. 

Dr. Eric Olson, a pulmonologist and sleep medicine specialist at the Mayo Clinic, said that instead of attempting to fix the way you breathe, you should ask yourself why you’re breathing through your mouth at night. For some, the answer may simply be, because it’s more comfortable. For others, however, mouth breathing may belie sleep apnea. Olson says that if mouth breathing is a real issue for you at night, you should speak with a medical professional to assess whether there is an underlying condition.  

Other conditions that can cause dry mouth at night include:

• Sjogren’s syndrome, a chronic autoimmune disorder that causes dry eyes and mouth around the clock.
• Diabetes, which can cause the salivary glands to malfunction.
• Anxiety or depression: Medication for these mental health disorders can cause dry mouth. 

Given that there are so many underlying medical conditions that can potentially cause dry mouth at night, it’s crucial to not only attempt to treat the symptom, but to seek professional help to uncover whether there is a more serious medical issue. 

Scientifically-Backed Dry Mouth Treatments

Dry mouth is a highly personalized condition — in other words, it appears differently in different people. Some experience a huge range of symptoms, from difficulty eating and talking to rampant dental caries to oral infections, and more. Others experience a mild sore throat or inflammation, which doesn’t severely impact their quality of life. 

Given the many presentations of dry mouth, there are different treatment options available. The most common dry mouth treatments include:

• Medication: Several medications are designed to stimulate the salivary glands to produce more saliva.
• Saliva substitutes: Also known as artificial saliva, these substitutes take the form of spray, gel, mouthwash, gum, or lozenges. They provide the oral cavity with artificial saliva, which temporarily relieves painful dry mouth symptoms. 
• Oral electrostimulation: The SaliPen is an FDA-approved dry mouth treatment. It works by delivering small electrical impulses to the oral cavity, which stimulate the salivary glands to produce more saliva. Unlike medication, which does something similar, oral electrostimulation doesn’t have any adverse side effects. 
• Lifestyle changes: Cutting back on nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol is recommended for anyone who suffers from dry mouth. Similarly, sleeping with a humidifier at night can help relieve dry mouth symptoms. And yes, nose breathing is another natural lifestyle change that can minimize the symptoms of dry mouth — and there are many training techniques to improve nose breathing that don’t involve mouth taping. 

Excluding medication, dry mouth treatments don’t need to be taken under the supervision of a medical professional. However, it is recommended to seek advice from a doctor if you suffer from chronic dry mouth.

TikTok does not qualify as a trained medical professional!

FAQS

Is nose breathing healthier than mouth breathing?

Generally, yes, nose breathing is considered healthier than mouth breathing as it cleans out the air before it reaches the body, supports better oxygen absorption and better sleep, and can prevent oral health issues.

Is it worthwhile training myself to breathe through my nose instead of my mouth?

If you suffer from poor oral health or dry mouth, training yourself to breathe through your nose is certainly worthwhile. However, if you have any compounding medical conditions that might make nose breathing difficult for you, talk with a doctor first before adopting this lifestyle change.

Is mouth taping safe?

Mouth taping is not considered a safe practice, even though some books and TikTokers promote it. Potential risks include increased anxiety, discomfort when sleeping, sleep apnea, and covering up serious underlying medical conditions. If you are adamant about trying mouth taping, make sure to talk to a medical professional about the safest way to go about it. 

Why is dry mouth so painful?

Dry mouth is caused when the salivary glands don’t produce enough saliva or produce saliva of poor quality. This can cause very painful symptoms, as the mouth needs lubrication to perform regular daily functions such as chewing, swallowing, and talking. Lubrication also keeps the tongue, mouth, and lips moist — the lack of it can cause soreness and burning. Additionally, saliva promotes healthy teeth, gums, and a healthy oral cavity — the lack of it can cause caries, gum disease, and frequent oral infections. 

If mouth taping isn’t the answer, what dry mouth treatment options are available?

Electrostimulation, medication, artificial saliva, and lifestyle changes are all valid dry mouth treatment options. Typically, medical professionals recommend a combination of these options to achieve maximum results.