Breaking social media fads and uncovering the safety and efficacy of mouth taping inpatients with mouth breathing, sleep disordered breathing, or obstructive sleep apnea: A systematic review
- Jan 19
- 1 min read
Background Social media has contributed to a potentially unsafe trend of nighttime mouth taping for individuals with mouth breathing, sleep disordered breathing, or sleep apnea as a home remedy to treat these issues. This systematic review is aimed to highlight any potential benefits or harms with this practice.
Methods A comprehensive librarian-designed literature search was performed using PRISMA guidelines. Using search terms, “mouth taping, adhesive mouthpiece, porous oral patch, surgical tape, breathing mouthpiece, sleep, microsleep, breath, breathing, or mouth breathing”, MEDLINE, Embase, and Google Scholar were searched from February 1999 to February 2024. Covidence software was used for screening and data entry performed into a data collection sheet designed a priori.
Results Covidence software was utilized to screen 120 articles. After 34 duplicates were removed, 86 articles were screened by two independent reviewers. Sixty-two were excluded. Twenty-four went on to full text review and 10 met inclusion criteria with a total of 213 patients. Two studies showed statistically significant improvement in established markers of sleep apnea such as apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) or oxygen desaturations. Other studies showed that mouth taping offered no differences and even discussed potential risks including asphyxiation in the presence of nasal obstruction. Many studies excluded anyone with nasal obstruction or pathology.
Conclusion The social media trend of mouth taping for individuals with mouth breathing, sleep disordered breathing, or sleep apnea has been reviewed. Based on the data presented by these 10 different studies, it seems that there is a potentially serious risk of harm for individuals indiscriminately practicing this trend. Further studies are required to elucidate any clinical benefit this practice may have.
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This was such an interesting read! I’ve seen so many social media videos about mouth taping, and it’s refreshing to finally come across a post that separates myths from facts. It’s crazy how easily trends can spread online without people really understanding the science or safety behind them. I appreciate how clearly you explained the risks and reminded readers to consult medical professionals instead of relying on viral hacks. Honestly, this kind of well-researched content inspires me to double-check sources, especially when doing health-related research for my projects. It reminds me of when I used a coursework writing service to help structure evidence-based arguments properly — accuracy and reliable references make all the difference! Thanks for sharing such a balanced…