The reaction when anyone finds out I’m trying out mouth taping at night is typically a mix of shock and horror. What is it, you ask? “Mouth taping is a simple and surprisingly effective way to encourage nasal breathing while you sleep or work,” New York-based facial sculpting expert Joseph Carrillo tells me. “A little strip of tape on your lips not only keeps your mouth closed but also helps you relax facial tension you didn’t even realize you had.” He also likes to tape during the day to catch himself clenching. “Over time, your jaw and tongue posture starts to align better, and your face feels lifted and balanced…like Pilates, but for your face.”
Perhaps you’ve seen the practice on TikTok (Spate counts it as one of the 10 fastest-growing wellness trends of 2024), or noticed Gwyneth Paltrow talking about it as part of her sleep routine, or even shopped it on the shelves of Erewhon (they offer Dryft, made with medical-grade materials). Users are touting benefits like enhanced sleep quality, reduced snoring, fresher breath, and sharper profile pics. “It’s for getting a snatched jaw,” I hear someone announce to friends collectively questioning a tin of mouth tape. For me, though, it’s an investment in my future: My dentist recently told me I’m a mouth breather, and that it’s a problem.
“The consensus is mixed on the systemic health benefits of mouth taping, but there are clear benefits from an oral health standpoint,” says Samantha Rawdin, a board-certified prosthodontist at Gallery57Dental in New York City. Breathing through your nose maintains a balance of good and bad bacteria in your mouth, which you definitely want: “If we’re mouth breathing during sleep, we become deficient in the amount of saliva needed and it leads to an overgrowth of the bad bacteria that causes bad breath, gum disease, and cavities. If we can promote nasal breathing, like with mouth taping, we can better stabilize our microbial equilibrium, leading to a better, healthier oral environment.”
Yet, searching “mouth taping” on any virtual engine will reveal sleep apnea-related risks or adhesive allergies, and about a quarter of the population may be right to avoid it. “Not having a straight septum can prevent patients from taping their mouths,” says Chicago-based double board-certified facial plastic surgeon Anil Shah, MD, FACS, who has a background in ENT. Facial plastic surgeons often begin their careers in otolaryngology (ear, nose, and throat medicine), meaning they have specialized training in the anatomy of the head and neck. “The benefit of mouth taping is that you’re using the part of your body that’s designed to breathe: Your nose,” says Shah, who notes that the nose itself is lined with endothelium, where the body makes nitric oxide, “important in relieving stress” and responsible for relaxing blood vessels. “Think about a yoga class, the first thing they say is breathe through your nose,” he says. “Ayurvedic medicine has known for centuries that nasal breathing is a foundational element to optimum health.” This isn’t new, it’s just a new way to encourage something we should already be doing.
