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About a year ago, I heard an influencer praise the virtues of mouth taping at night. Yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like: Taping your mouth shut before going to sleep. She claimed that doing so allows her to breath only through her nose, which is beneficial because mouth breathing causes significant health issues.
Initially, I brushed this off. After all, you can’t believe everything you see online, especially when health and wellness are concerned. But that wasn’t the last time I heard about the issues associated with mouth breathing: Others online have claimed mouth breathing can cause dental issues and respiratory illnesses, as well as snoring and daytime sleepiness.
Clearly, social media has messages about the dangers of mouth breathing and benefits of mouth taping. But are they legit? Let’s check in with an expert here. Is mouth breathing really harmful — and if so, is mouth-taping the best course of action to combat the issues associated with is? Let’s get into it.
Is mouth breathing bad for your health?
According to dentist Ben Miraglia, DDS, chief clinical officer at Toothpillow, mouth breathing can lead to serious issues — and while some of those issues are dental in nature, they can extend beyond the mouth.
“Mouth breathing can have a big impact, starting with dental issues and spreading to overall health,” says Dr. Miraglia.
Dentally, mouth breathing can lead to cavities and gum disease, he says. But it may not stop there: Mouth breathing may also be linked to inflamed tonsils or adenoids.
“Over time, it can even cause changes in how the jaw and teeth align, leading to crowded teeth and underdeveloped jaws,” says Dr. Miraglia. “This increases the risk for sleep apnea, as well as ear and throat infections.”
There may be full-body effects as well
Surprisingly, Dr. Miraglia believes mouth breathing can cause full-body issues like high blood pressure, digestive problems, headaches, and more.
“It affects how well we sleep, often disrupting the deep, restorative sleep cycles, which can lead to fatigue and trouble focusing,” he says. “Mouth breathing can also contribute to mental health concerns like anxiety and depression, especially since poor sleep can make it hard to feel well-rested and emotionally balanced.”
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How common is mouth breathing?
According to Dr. Miraglia, it’s actually incredibly common.
“Humans are designed to breathe through their noses, but very few people manage to keep this up 24/7,” he says. “Many factors — like allergies, nasal congestion, and even habits we pick up — can lead to mouth breathing, which disrupts our natural breathing pattern. Even a little bit of mouth breathing, day or night, can negatively affect our health over time.”
Mouth breathing often begins in childhood
“Mouth breathing is a concern for all ages, but it’s especially important to address it early in children,” says Dr. Miraglia. “Mouth breathing often starts young, and it can affect how a child’s face and jaw develop, potentially leading to crowded teeth and narrow airways.”
When it comes to addressing the issue of mouth breathing, younger is better. However, if you don’t realize you’re doing this until adulthood, there’s still value in working to correct mouth breathing.
“Adults can make changes to support healthier breathing patterns and improve their health. Seeing an airway-trained dentist is a great first step,” says Dr. Miraglia. “They can assess your jaw and airway structure, which helps pinpoint any specific causes behind mouth breathing.”
An evaluation is the right place to start, an a trained professional can suggest your next course of action, which may be surgical or non-surgical.
So…how do I know if I’m mouth breathing?
Okay, so we’ve established that mouth breathing is common and may cause issues, and that’s there are things that can be done to address this. But how do you actually know if you’re mouth breathing in the first place?
“Some of the signs of mouth breathing are easy to miss, but they often include a dry mouth, chapped lips, and frequent dental issues like cavities or gum disease,” says Dr. Miraglia. “Other signs include poor sleep quality, feeling tired during the day, frequent headaches, and even digestive troubles like acid reflux.”
The signs can be tough to pinpoint, but if you feel like you be exhibiting some, an evaluation if your best first step to treating the issue.
What can adults do to minimize these effects?
The good news? There are non-surgical things you can attempt to address mouth breathing.
“There are a few things adults can try on their own,” says Dr. Miraglia. “Keeping the nasal passages clean with a natural nasal spray is a simple way to support nasal breathing. Breathe Right strips can also help open the nose at night.”
“Another option is working with an orofacial myofunctional therapist (OMT), who can guide you through exercises to strengthen facial and tongue muscles, helping you naturally shift back to nasal breathing,” he adds. “An airway-focused dentist can assess and recommend solutions to improve airflow and get to the root of mouth breathing issues.”
So, is mouth taping an effective way to address mouth breathing?
Back to mouth taping. As mentioned, there’s buzz on social media about mouth taping overnight, using a special tape over the mouth to counteract mouth breathing. But there isn’t much compelling evidence to support the effectiveness of this, and mouth taping can have risks, like allergic reactions or rashes from the tape, according to Cleveland Clinic.
“Mouth taping has become popular, but I wouldn’t recommend starting there. It’s usually better to look at the bigger picture first and address any jaw or tongue posture issues that may be behind the mouth breathing,” says Dr. Miraglia. “For some people, just taping the mouth shut doesn’t solve the underlying issue, and that can be frustrating. I suggest working with an airway dentist or a myofunctional therapist to improve jaw structure and breathing habits first, and then considering mouth taping if recommended.”
Zara Hanawalt is a freelance journalist and mom of twins. She's written for outlets like Parents, MarieClaire, Elle, Cosmopolitan, Motherly, and many others. In her (admittedly limited!) free time, she enjoys cooking, reading, trying new restaurants, and traveling with her family.