Does Mouth Taping Really Work? And Is It Safe?

The internet loves the nighttime practice, but there are a few things to know before you try it yourself.

From bed rotting to drinking lettuce water to help you wind down, many sleep-related trends have reached viral status on TikTok. But a particularly fascinating one that’s endured for more than a year is mouth taping.

“Mouth taping has become a popular wellness trend to force nasal breathing at night, which is perceived to improve quality of sleep, cognition and focus during the day, as well as cardiovascular health,” said Taylor Fazio, a wellness adviser at the Lanby, a health care service.

Basically, the practice involves using porous surgical tape to keep your mouth shut at night. The idea is that if you apply the tape at bedtime, your mouth will stay closed while you sleep, and you’ll have to breathe through your nose ― thus staving off the negative effects of mouth breathing, which has been linked with tooth decay, dry mouth, bad breath and gum disease.

“Like many health fads, the mouth taping trend seems to have emerged over the past couple of years due to a viral TikTok video touting its benefits for reducing snoring,” said Wendy Troxel, a behavioral sleep medicine specialist and author of “Sharing the Covers: Every Couple’s Guide to Better Sleep.” “But it’s important to note that this is not an evidence-backed strategy, nor is it recommended by physicians.”

Why are people doing this?