Review found weak evidence for mouth taping and sleep

Reviewers screened 120 papers and kept ten studies on mouth taping for sleep and breathing, covering 213 patients in total, after searching MEDLINE, Embase and Google Scholar for records from February 1999 to February 2024.

Only randomized controlled trials and prospective studies were kept, using both measured results and reported symptoms. Two of the ten found statistically significant improvement in apnea markers such as apnea-hypopnea index or oxygen desaturations. The remaining included studies found no differences with mouth taping and addressed potential risks including asphyxiation with nasal obstruction.

Many studies left out people with nasal obstruction or pathology. The review lists allergic rhinitis, adenoidal and tonsillar hypertrophy and deviation of the nasal septum among common causes of mouth breathing. The authors say more research is needed to show if there is real clinical benefit. If any benefit exists, the best patient selection, tape type, duration and safety monitoring remain unknown.

Airflow during mouth occlusion was tested in a study published in JAMA Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery in 2024 in more than 50 patients. Airflow improved on average but responses varied, and some patients with the worst airflow showed distinct worsening with mouth occlusion. Small nonrandomized and uncontrolled studies of mouth taping report a wide range of responses, with possible improvement in snoring and sleep apnea in some mild cases of airflow limitation.

That mixed response is relevant for people considering tape at bedtime. Restricting airflow with mouth tape can harm those with a narrowed or obstructed airway, and may increase cardiovascular strain from oxygen drops during sleep. People with existing cardiovascular disease or a known diagnosis of sleep apnea should avoid mouth taping. Sleep disruption from apnea can lead to strong fatigue, sleepiness, insomnia and thinking problems.

Adults with obstructive sleep apnea are usually treated with a continuous positive airway pressure machine, but many people use it inconsistently because of discomfort. That shortfall helps explain interest in simpler routines. “We do not have much good quality evidence for mouth taping,” a sleep clinician interviewed by CU Anschutz said. Sleep clinicians say nasal breathing may help some people with mild limitation, but results differ by person.

Effects of mouth taping on long term cardiovascular, cognitive and quality of life outcomes are not shown in the evidence reviewed. For now, the question is whether larger trials with clear safety screening alter the picture, and whether guidance separates mild snoring from diagnosed breathing disorders during sleep.

A cautious sequence is assessment first and tape last, with close attention to the nose, the breath and how the morning feels.