Mouth Taping: The Questionable Way to Improve Sleep

Both on TikTok and Instagram, the practice of mouth patter begins to become increasingly democratized among followers of well being. But what does it consist of? The idea is to stick a piece of plaster (or tape) over your mouth so that you can breathe exclusively through your nose throughout the night. An apparently trivial practice, which nevertheless has many presumed advantages on the quality of sleep. Benefits sold on social networks by thousands of users which still pose some problems for health experts. We will explain everything to you.

What are the purported benefits of oral bandaging?

THE mouth patter it is a method that would have many benefits on the body.

It would help maintain a good sleeping position

When you sleep with your mouth open, there is a risk that the tongue will withdraw and therefore be partially swallowed. To keep it in a good position all night, the method of mouth patter that would be ideal. By breathing through your nose only, you don’t have to constantly open your mouth to get air. As a result, your tongue does not move from its initial position and you run no risk of choking.

It would preserve oral health

According to the followers of the practice of mouth patterthis method would be advisable to preserve oral health. Breathing through the mouth also carries a lot of bacteria and saliva starts to dry out. Result? The gums tend to retract, the enamel is less protected and cavities can occur. A phenomenon that is not found when man breathes only through the noseWhy this area is specially made to filter the germs present in the oxygen.

It would boost the immune system and provide better rest of the body

Breathing through the nose (containing hair) it is the first immune barrier against infections. When you breathe through your mouth, however, no germs or allergens are filtered out. As a result, we ingest a number of bacteria, which leads to overexposure to infections and other viruses. But that is not all! Breathing through the nose offers better rest for the body, according to Dr. Katharina Lederle, sleep specialist and interviewed by UK designer. She explains:

“Nasal breathing produces nitric oxide, which then passes into the lungs. This will help increase the lungs’ ability to take in oxygen because the blood vessels will be widened. It also plays a role in regulating blood pressure, which is better in people who breathe through their noses.

What are the risks inherent in this practice and why is it criticised?

If the benefits of breathing through your nose aren’t in question, the technique is mouth patter which poses a problem for experts. First, why practicing this method on a daily basis leads to skin irritation around the mouth due to tearing the tape every morning. This redness is caused by a skin barrier that is constantly being attacked.

But also and above all becauseIt can promote sleep disturbances, suffocation (especially for people who already suffer from breathing problems during the night) or even the onset of sleep apnea. Dr. Raj Dasgupta, associate professor of clinical medicine at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, explains in an article on the CNN website:

“If you have obstructive sleep apnea, this tendency can be very dangerous. There is limited evidence on the benefits of oral bandaging and I would be very cautious and recommend speaking to your doctor before trying it.

Yes, nose breathing can lower blood pressure and is relaxing, which is why it’s often recommended, alongside yoga and meditation, as a means to promote sleep. But overall, the most important message is to get a medical diagnosis first, especially since there are so many other options. »

But then what to do?

First of all, it is important to consult a general practitioner or even an otolaryngologist. Because if breathing through your mouth from time to time has no effect on your metabolism, it is possible that in the long run this alternative will start to cause a variety of disturbances in your health.

“Trying to apply duct tape instead of seeing your doctor could delay the start of an important treatment. », explains the Sleep Foundation. If necessary, speech and breathing rehabilitation may also be considered with a speech pathologist. This specialist will allow your brain to integrate these new protocols, which will allow your mouth to stay closed throughout the night.

In any case, the internal methods have not yet provided enough evidence to rely on them, therefore stay safe !

Front Page Image Credits: @Rachel Claire