Mouth Taping for Sleep: Sleep Hack or Health Hazard? Here’s The Science

Quick Summary

• Limited Evidence for Benefit: A review of 10 scientific studies found minimal evidence that mouth taping improves sleep apnea. Small benefits were only seen in a few studies of patients with mild Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) (Huang et al., 2015; Lee et al., 2022).

• Significant Safety Concerns: Researchers warn that mouth taping can be dangerous, posing a risk of asphyxiation (suffocation) for individuals with any kind of nasal obstruction (Bachour et al., 2004; Lee et al., 2022; Teschler et al., 1999).

• Poor Quality Data: All 10 studies included in the review were found to be of poor quality when assessed with the Newcastle-Ottawa scale, a tool for rating research quality. This makes it difficult to draw strong conclusions (Rhee et al., 2025).

• Not a Universal Fix: The existing data does not support mouth taping as a sound clinical intervention for the general population with sleep-disordered breathing (Rhee et al., 2025).

Why Mouth Taping? What Are The Claimed Benefits?

The social media trend of mouth taping has grown in popularity, with influencers and proponents claiming it offers a simple home remedy for everything from snoring and mouth breathing to improving overall health.

The idea is to tape your mouth shut at night, forcing you to breathe through your nose. But is this practice safe? And does it actually work?

Given the rise of this trend and the lack of concrete evidence, a team of researchers decided to investigate (Rhee et al., 2025). They conducted a systematic review of the scientific literature to uncover any potential benefits or, more importantly, any potential harms associated with mouth taping. This article will break down what they found.

So let's break down what the researchers found and what it might mean for people with sleep problems.

First, a bit of background.

How Did Scientists Investigate The Mouth Taping Trend? 

Researchers conducted a systematic review, which is a rigorous process of gathering and analyzing all relevant scientific studies on a topic (Rhee et al., 2025). Following established research standards for transparent reporting (known as PRISMA guidelines), they performed a comprehensive search of medical databases for studies on mouth taping published between February 1999 and February 2024 (Rhee et al., 2025).

They began with 120 articles and, after removing duplicates and screening for relevance, narrowed the list down to 10 studies that met their inclusion criteria (Rhee et al., 2025). These 10 studies included a total of 233 patients and used various methods of oral occlusion, from adhesive tape and mouth seals to chinstraps (Rhee et al., 2025).

Does Taping Actually Improve Sleep Apnea?

The evidence is weak and inconsistent. The main measurement for sleep apnea severity is the Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI), which is a score that counts the number of breathing interruptions per hour of sleep. Of the 10 studies, six assessed AHI as an outcome (Rhee et al., 2025).

Here’s what they found:

• Only two of these six studies reported a statistically significant decrease in AHI after using a mouth seal or tape (Huang et al., 2015; Lee et al., 2022).

• Crucially, these two studies only included patients with mild OSA (defined as an AHI score of less than 15) (Huang et al., 2015; Lee et al., 2022). The improvement they observed was small—for example, one study reported a drop in median AHI from 12 to 7.8 (Huang et al., 2015)—and whether this small change is clinically meaningful is unclear (Rhee et al., 2025).

• Three other studies found no significant change in AHI with mouth taping or a chinstrap (Bhat et al., 2014; Labarca et al., 2022; Osman et al., 2024).

• One study found that mouth taping only helped reduce AHI when it was combined with a Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD), which is a custom-fit dental appliance that moves the lower jaw forward to open the airway. Taping by itself had no significant effect compared to the baseline AHI in that study (Labarca et al., 2022).

Does Mouth Taping Improve Snoring and Other Outcomes?

Mouth taping does appear to reduce snoring. All three studies that measured the snoring index (SI) reported a significant decrease after using a mouth tape or chinstrap (Bachour et al., 2004; Huang et al., 2015; Lee et al., 2022).

The results for other measures were mixed. For those using a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine, which delivers a steady stream of air to keep the airway open, oral occlusion was shown to significantly reduce "mouth leak," which is when air pressure is lost through an open mouth (Bachour et al., 2004; Huang et al., 2015; Jau et al., 2023a). The effect on blood oxygen levels was inconsistent, with some studies showing an improvement while others did not (Rhee et al., 2025).

What Are the Dangers of Mouth Taping?

This is the most critical takeaway from the review. The research highlights a potentially serious risk of harm, specifically the danger of asphyxiation (suffocation) for anyone with underlying nasal obstruction (Rhee et al., 2025).

Many of the studies that showed any positive results had explicitly excluded participants with any kind of nasal issue, such as allergic rhinitis, a deviated septum, or other sinonasal diseases (Huang et al., 2015; Labarca et al., 2022; Lee et al., 2022). This means the practice was only tested on people who could already breathe comfortably through their noses.

The danger arises when people with pre-existing nasal obstruction—the very reason many people breathe through their mouths—try this trend. Four of the ten studies directly warned about the risk of suffocation if a person cannot breathe through their nose or if they regurgitate during the night and are unable to expel the emesis (Bachour et al., 2004; Huang et al., 2015; Lee et al., 2022; Teschler et al., 1999). One study went so far as to state that mouth taping is not recommended for patients with moderate to severe OSA because it may impose dangers rather than benefits (Lee et al., 2022).

Why Might Mouth Taping Not Work (Or Even Be Harmful)?

Beyond the risk of suffocation, the review points to other reasons why mouth taping may be ineffective or even detrimental.

First, there's the "mouth puffing" phenomenon, where air still leaks from the mouth despite it being taped (Jau et al., 2023a). One study found that AHI was only significantly reduced in individuals who had no mouth puffing (Jau et al., 2023a). This suggests that if the seal isn't perfect, the potential benefit is lost.

Second, a person's specific airway anatomy matters. Forcing the mouth closed can be harmful for people who have certain types of airway collapse, particularly at the soft palate (Hsu et al., 2021; Yang et al., 2024). In these individuals, forced mouth closure can actually decrease airflow, making their condition worse (Yang et al., 2024).

What Practical Advice Can Be Drawn for Patients?

Based on a thorough review of the available science, the researchers came to a clear conclusion (Rhee et al., 2025).

• The data does not support mouth taping as a sound or safe clinical intervention for the general population with mouth breathing or sleep-disordered breathing.

• The quality of the existing research is poor, with all 10 studies rated as low quality, making it hard to form strong recommendations.

• There may be a very specific use-case for patients with confirmed mild OSA and perfectly clear nasal passages, but even then, the clinical benefit is minimal.

• For the general public, and especially for anyone with nasal congestion or more severe forms of OSA, the practice is not supported by evidence and carries potential for serious detrimental health outcomes. The social media trend appears to be guided by poor evidence and can be dangerous. More high-quality research is needed to provide any conclusive evidence on the practice.

Frequently Asked Questions - Does Mouth Taping Improve Sleep?

Q1: What exactly is mouth taping?

A1: Mouth taping is the practice of using a special skin-safe tape to hold your lips together during sleep. The goal is to encourage you to breathe through your nose instead of your mouth.

Q2: Does mouth taping actually work for sleep apnea?

A2: The scientific evidence is very weak. A few studies found a small improvement, but only in people with mild Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) (Huang et al., 2015; Lee et al., 2022). For most people, especially those with moderate to severe OSA, there is no good evidence that it helps (Rhee et al., 2025).

Q3: Does mouth taping help with snoring?

A3: It might. The research suggests that mouth taping can significantly reduce snoring (Bachour et al., 2004; Huang et al., 2015; Lee et al., 2022). However, it's important to remember that snoring can be a symptom of underlying OSA, so simply silencing the noise doesn't fix the potential health problem and, under some circumstances can be dangerous.

Q4: Is mouth taping safe?

A4: Not for everyone, and it carries serious risks. The biggest danger is the risk of suffocation (asphyxiation) if you have any trouble breathing through your nose (Bachour et al., 2004; Teschler et al., 1999). It is not a universally safe practice.

Q5: Who should definitely avoid mouth taping?

A5: You should absolutely avoid mouth taping if you have any kind of nasal obstruction. This includes issues like a deviated septum, nasal polyps, chronic congestion, or even temporary stuffiness from allergies or a cold. The studies that showed any benefit specifically excluded people with these conditions (Huang et al., 2015; Lee et al., 2022).

Q6: Should you try mouth taping?

A6: Based on the scientific evidence, we do not recommend mouth taping as a treatment for sleep-disordered breathing or snoring. The potential risks far outweigh the very limited and unproven benefits for a very small group of people (Rhee et al., 2025).

Q7: I'm a mouth breather. What should I do instead?

A7: If you find yourself breathing through your mouth at night, the most important step is to understand why. It's often a sign of an underlying issue like nasal congestion or a structural problem in your airway. Instead of taping your mouth, we recommend speaking with a healthcare professional or a sleep specialist. They can help diagnose the root cause of your mouth breathing and recommend safe, effective treatments..

References

Bachour, A., Hurmerinta, K., & Maasilta, P. (2004). Mouth closing device (chinstrap) reduces mouth leak during nasal CPAP. Sleep Medicine, 5(3), 261–267. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2003.11.004

Bhat, S., Gushway-Henry, N., Polos, P. G., DeBari, V. A., Riar, S., Gupta, D., Chokroverty, S., & Gress, D. (2014). The efficacy of a chinstrap in treating sleep disordered breathing and snoring. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 10(8), 887–892. https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.3962

Hsu, Y.-B., Lan, M.-Y., Huang, Y.-C., Kao, M.-C., & Lan, M.-C. (2021). Association between breathing route, oxygen desaturation, and upper airway morphology. The Laryngoscope, 131(2), E659–E664. https://doi.org/10.1002/lary.28774

Huang, T.-W., & Young, T.-H. (2015). Novel porous oral patches for patients with mild obstructive sleep apnea and mouth breathing: a pilot study. Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery, 152(2), 369–373. https://doi.org/10.1177/0194599814559383

Jau, J.-Y., Kuo, T. B. J., Li, L. P. H., Chen, T.-Y., Lai, C.-T., Huang, P.-H., Yang, C. C. H., & an, P. (2023a). Mouth puffing phenomena of patients with obstructive sleep apnea when mouth-taped: device’s efficacy confirmed with physical video observation. Sleep and Breathing, 27(1), 153–164. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-022-02588-0

Jau, J.-Y., Kuo, T. B. J., Li, L. P. H., Chen, T.-Y., Hsu, Y.-S., Lai, C.-T., Huang, P.-H., & Yang, C. C. H. (2023b). Mouth puffing phenomenon and upper airway features may be used to predict the severity of obstructive sleep apnea. Nature and Science of Sleep, 15, 165–174. https://doi.org/10.2147/NSS.S384387

Labarca, G., Sands, S. A., Cohn, V., Demko, G., Vena, D., Messineo, L., White, D. P., & Taranto-Montemurro, L. (2022). Mouth Closing to Improve the Efficacy of Mandibular Advancement Devices in Sleep Apnea. Annals of the American Thoracic Society, 19(7), 1185–1192. https://doi.org/10.1513/AnnalsATS.202109-1050OC

Lee, Y.-C., Lu, C.-T., Cheng, W.-N., & Li, H.-Y. (2022). The Impact of Mouth-Taping in Mouth-Breathers with Mild Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Preliminary Study. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 10(9), 1755. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10091755

Osman, A. M., Toson, B., Naik, G. R., Mukherjee, S., Delbeck, M., Hahn, M., Eckert, D. J., & Landry, S. A. (2024). A novel TASK channel antagonist nasal spray reduces sleep apnea severity in physiological responders: a randomized, blinded, trial. American Journal of Physiology. Heart and Circulatory Physiology, 326(3), H715–H723. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpheart.00541.2023

Rhee, J., Iansavitchene, A., Mannala, S., Graham, M. E., & 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

Teschler, H., Stampa, J., Ragette, R., Konietzko, N., & Berthon-Jones, M. (1999). Effect of mouth leak on effectiveness of nasal bilevel ventilatory assistance and sleep architecture. The European Respiratory Journal, 14(6), 1251–1257. https://doi.org/10.1183/09031936.99.14612519

Yang, H., Huyett, P., Wang, T.-Y., Sumner, J., Azarbarzin, A., Labarca, G. P. T., White, D. P., & Taranto-Montemurro, L. (2024). Mouth Closure and Airflow in Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Nonrandomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Otolaryngology-- Head & Neck Surgery, 150(11), 1012–1019. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaoto.2024.3319

Written By The Better Sleep Clinic

Reviewed By Dan Ford, Sleep Psychologist