Effective Alternatives to Mouth Taping: How to Breathe Better and Sleep Soundly

Mouth taping is the practice of applying a medical-grade porous tape made for use on the skin, over your mouth before going to sleep. ⁽¹⁾ This is done to reduce mouth breathing and promote nasal breathing. ⁽¹⁾ The benefits of mouth taping include reducing snoring, better sleep, improved oral health, and reduced bad breath to name a few. ⁽¹⁾

There are some people who may not be suitable candidates for mouth taping, such as if they are suffering from asthma, acute sleep apnea, respiratory or breathing problems or sinusitis. ⁽²⁾ Some may have an allergic reaction to the tape; whereas, some just do not like to put a tape over their mouth. So, for such individuals, what are the alternatives to mouth taping which can provide similar benefits? Read on to know more.

The trend of placing a tape over your mouth before going to sleep to promote nasal breathing and get better sleep is doing the rounds on internet. However, what do we actually know about the true benefits of mouth taping and its side effects? Since people are opting for mouth taping to reduce mouth breathing and promote nasal breathing, then it is better to look for alternatives to mouth taping, which will help achieve the goal of nasal breathing without any potential side effects, as mouth taping need not be everyone’s cup of tea.

To reduce snoring and to encourage nasal breathing one can also use nasal strips as an alternative to mouth taping.^{(3, 4)} These are adhesive strips which help in expanding the nasal passage so as to promote nose breathing. Studies done on nasal strips for encouraging nasal breathing and to reduce snoring have shown mixed results.

If you are choosing mouth taping to reduce snoring by increasing nasal breathing then you can train yourself to sleep on your side, as this will help in reducing the snoring.⁽⁵⁾ A lot of research shows that people suffering from obstructive sleep apnea or not tend to snore less when they choose to sleep on their side instead of on their back.⁽⁶⁾

In order to make sleeping on the side more comfortable, one can think about buying a new mattress and pillow. When the bed setup is good, then it encourages spinal alignment and decreases the pressure points when you lay in common sleeping position.

Many people are not able to breathe through their nose because they suffer from allergies and nasal congestion. So, treating the allergies is a good way to promote nasal breathing and avoiding breathing through the mouth. Treatment of allergies and nasal congestion helps in breathing through the nose easier. The same goes for people suffering from asthma.

Some people choose to use mouth taping, as it can help in reducing the bad breath by promoting nasal breathing. Instead one can follow a good oral hygiene routine by brushing twice a day, tongue cleaning, flossing, and gargling with mouthwash; all of which helps with bad breath.

Mouth taping is thought to reduce daytime tiredness by giving a good night sleep through improved nasal breathing. There are various sleep hygiene measures, which can give you good sleep, such as:⁽⁷⁾

• Always going to bed and waking up at the same time every day.
• Avoiding gadgets or looking at screens about an hour before going to sleep.
• Making sure that the room is comfortable and free from noise and light.
• Not drinking caffeine beyond early afternoon.
• Avoiding alcohol consumption before going to sleep.
• Exercising regularly helps in getting a good night’s sleep.

There are cases where people need actual medical attention and not a mouth tape to resolve their problems. One should seek medical attention instead of thinking of using a mouth tape as a solution if they are suffering from:

• Extremely severe bad breath.
• Having a sleep disorder or suspecting that you have one.
• If your child breathes only through their mouth.

Sleep disorders need proper treatment and cannot be resolved through mouth tape. Similarly, having acute bad breath can be caused by some underlying health condition and not mouth breathing. Bad breath can occur as a result of gut issues, dental problems, such as cavities or underlying sinus infections.

If your child breathes solely through mouth, then it is important to consult your doctor. Mouth breathing can cause growth delay in children and hence need medical attention. There have been no studies on mouth taping in children and hence should be strictly avoided in them.

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