If you’re on TikTok or staying up to date with beauty trends, you’ve inevitably seen at least a few creators talking about the benefits of mouth taping. Whether you’ve seen users toting the benefits of the technique for snoring, mouth breathing, bad breath, dental hygiene, sleep quality or even aesthetics, there are endless reasons why people can’t get enough of the overnight beauty hack.
While dental hygienists, sleep experts and more have confirmed the benefits of mouth taping, I was still skeptical of whether or not I could get behind the trend, mostly because of the fear that the sensation would be suffocating. However, I’ve struggled with TMJ issues and chronic fatigue for years, and after seeing how many people swear by the technique for solving these issues, I decided to give it a try, and honestly I’m never going back.
Mouth Taping for Oral Health
While TikTokers everywhere have been raving about mouth taping, oral health professionals can also see the positives of the trend. According to Chicago, IL cosmetic dentist Nathan Hoffman, DDS, “Mouth taping involves sealing the lips during sleep with adhesive tape. Advocates claim it promotes nasal breathing, maintains mouth moisture, enhances oral hygiene and reduces sleep-related issues like snoring and sleep apnea.” While Dr. Hoffman notes that many advocates for mouth taping have seen benefits in the realm of oral health, he still urges caution when trying the trend. “Although I support the notion that keeping the mouth closed during sleep promotes a more optimal oral health environment and alleviates dry mouth-related dental problems, I also stress the importance of caution. It’s crucial for individuals to consult a healthcare professional to evaluate their suitability before attempting this method independently.”
Mouth Taping: What It Feels Like
As mentioned previously, one of the main things that held me back from trying mouth taping until now was the fear that having my mouth literally taped shut while sleeping would be anxiety-inducing, but I knew within moments of applying the mouth tape that that was not the case. I opted for Sol Oral Care’s Hush Tape for Sleeping ($22), and as soon as I put the strip across my mouth, I actually felt more relaxed.
Immediately, I could feel the tape keeping my jaw and tongue in the proper resting position. I felt my body instinctively trying to uncenter my jaw or grind my teeth, but believe it or not, the small but mighty piece of tape really keeps your mouth in a healthy position. Luckily, I at no point felt like I was going to suffocate and actually found the pressure of the tape quite relaxing—it was almost like a weighted stuffed animal for your mouth.
Does Mouth Taping Work? My Firsthand Experience
In addition to years of jaw pain on account of TMJ and grinding my teeth in my sleep—certain days, I would wake up and have to use my hands to reset my jaw before I could open my mouth fully—I’ve also struggled with dryness in my mouth and throat and chronic fatigue, all of which are things mouth taping is supposed to help with. I can confidently say that after the first night I tried taping my mouth before bed, I knew that this was the real deal.
The next morning, I woke up feeling rested and not tired, which is something I haven’t experienced in a long while. In addition, that borderline painful dryness in my nose and throat was gone on account of the fact that I was breathing through my nose and not my mouth. I even felt like I looked less puffy when I woke up, too. All in all, I found the actual process very relaxing and the benefits were instantaneous enough to have convinced me to do it every night since.
