Representative image of a stethoscope
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Sleep specialists in Bengaluru say there is no scientific backing to mouth taping, a social media trend that claims to improve sleep, snoring, oral health and even the shape of the jawline.
Mouth taping requires going to bed with your mouth taped in a bid to promote nasal breathing. There are thousands of posts on Instagram accompanied with #mouthtaping. E-commerce sites are filled with options for ‘anti-snoring’ sleep strips, marketed as medical grade, breathable and safe.
But except for two small studies abroad that showed people with mild obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) snored less when they slept with a tape or patch on their lips, there is little or no conclusive evidence of its efficacy. OSA is a sleep disorder in which breathing halts repeatedly.
Dr Manjunath H K, sleep specialist and pulmonologist, views it as “a futile exercise”. “In OSA, the problem lies in the pharynx. So even if, hypothetically speaking, mouth taping helps you sleep better a few times, it doesn’t solve the root cause,” he says.
Nasal breathing is the natural, physiological way. People tend to breathe from the mouth when there are blockages in the airway or further down.
“But the question is who qualifies for this? If you are blocking breathing via the mouth and also have some kind of blockage in the nose, it’s a safety hazard,” says pulmonologist Dr Ravindra Mehta. He also warns that the frequent use of tape on the mouth may lead to skin irritation.
Pulmonologist Dr Sachin Kumar says children, elderly citizens and people with cardiac issues, diabetes, and fluctuating blood pressure must never
attempt mouth taping for it can cause suffocation.
“People struggling with snoring should consult a medical professional rather than trying unsubstantiated hacks. It can be treated with lifestyle changes and sometimes with the treatment of underlying causes, such as allergies and sleep apnea,” he advises.