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."
