Mouth Taping for Sleep: What a Systematic Review of 10 Studies Found

A 2025 systematic review found only 10 studies of mouth taping for sleep, 213 patients in all, and every study was rated poor quality.^[1] Two reported improvements in sleep apnea measures. The others found no difference. The authors concluded there is a potentially serious risk of harm for people who try it indiscriminately.

What the researchers did

A team of clinicians searched three databases (MEDLINE, Embase and Google Scholar) for studies published between 1999 and February 2024. They looked for studies of mouth taping or similar devices, such as chin straps and oral patches, in people with mouth breathing, sleep-disordered breathing or obstructive sleep apnea. They screened 120 articles and 10 met the criteria.^[1]

Of those 10, six were cross-sectional studies, one was a randomized trial, one a prospective cohort, one a retrospective cohort and one a crossover study. Eight used adhesive tape or a sealing device and two used a chin strap. Sample sizes ranged from 9 to 71 people.^[1]

What they found

• Two studies showed statistically significant improvement in established sleep apnea markers, such as the apnea-hypopnea index or oxygen drops during sleep.^[1]
• The other studies found no difference from taping.^[1]
• Some studies discussed potential risks, including asphyxiation in people with nasal obstruction. Many studies excluded anyone with nasal obstruction or other nasal problems.^[1]
• All 10 studies were rated poor quality on the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, a standard checklist for study quality. The studies were too varied for the authors to combine statistically.^[1]

What this review does not show

• It does not show that mouth taping helps people with no breathing problem sleep better. The studies enrolled people with mouth breathing, sleep-disordered breathing or sleep apnea.^[1]
• It does not measure how often taping causes harm. The risks were discussed in the studies, not counted as an event rate.^[1]
• Because many studies excluded people with nasal obstruction, they cannot say how taping behaves in people whose nose is often blocked.^[1]
• The search ended in February 2024, so newer studies are not included. The authors call for more and higher-quality studies before anyone can say whether taping is safe or effective.^[1]

What to do with it

The honest summary is that the evidence is thin, and the main safety concern points at the people most likely to be tempted: those who mouth-breathe because something is narrowing or blocking the airway.

1. Start with the reason you are considering it. If you snore loudly, wake up gasping or feel sleepy all day, ask your clinician about a sleep evaluation. Tape does not diagnose or treat sleep apnea, and the review flags possible harm in that group.
2. Take a blocked nose seriously. Allergies, a cold or a structural problem can all make nose breathing unreliable. Nasal obstruction is the situation where the review raised asphyxiation concerns, so talk to your clinician before trying tape.
3. If your goal is a dry mouth or mild snoring and none of the above applies, the review has no solid evidence either way. Snoring can be a sign of sleep apnea, and the authors flagged possible serious harm from indiscriminate taping, so check with a clinician first. A dentist or clinician can look at what is driving it.

More on this topic: sleep apnea symptoms in women can look like burnout.

References

[1] Rhee J, Iansavitchene A, Mannala S, Graham ME, Rotenberg B. Breaking social media fads and uncovering the safety and efficacy of mouth taping in patients with mouth breathing, sleep disordered breathing, or obstructive sleep apnea: A systematic review. PLOS ONE, 2025;20(5):e0323643. Population: 10 studies, 213 patients, searched through February 2024 (MEDLINE, Embase, Google Scholar; PRISMA; PROSPERO CRD42024509650). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0323643. Finding as used: 10 studies met inclusion criteria with a total of 213 patients; two showed statistically significant improvement in markers such as apnea-hypopnea index or oxygen desaturations, others showed no difference and discussed risks including asphyxiation with nasal obstruction; many studies excluded nasal obstruction; all studies rated poor quality on the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and too heterogeneous for statistical analysis; the authors concluded there is a potentially serious risk of harm for individuals indiscriminately practicing the trend and that further studies are required. ↑︎

Kurt Greiner

Kurt is a digital strategist and IT professional blending emerging technology with practical application, exploring how individuals can leverage modern tools to navigate the second half of life with purpose.