Example of one of many mouth tape brands

How does mouth tape help patients with snoring and sleep apnea ?

Mouth taping is a technique that is sometimes used as a complementary strategy for individuals with snoring and sleep apnea. It involves placing a small piece of medical tape over the lips during sleep to encourage nasal breathing and discourage mouth breathing.

Here's how lip taping may potentially help with snoring and sleep apnea:

  1. Nasal breathing promotion: Lip taping helps to keep the mouth closed during sleep, promoting nasal breathing. Nasal breathing has several advantages, including improved air filtration, humidification, and warming of the inhaled air. It also helps to optimize airflow through the nasal passages and may reduce the risk of airway obstruction or collapse.
  2. Addressing mouth breathing: For individuals who habitually breathe through their mouths during sleep, lip taping can act as a reminder and discourage mouth breathing. By ensuring that the lips remain closed, lip taping encourages the individual to breathe through the nose, potentially reducing the occurrence of snoring and sleep apnea events associated with mouth breathing.
Mechanism for how mouth taping reduces risk of airway obstruction

Testing efficacy of a mouth taping

If the mouth tape is working for you, you should notice a few things:

  1. Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI) should come down to some extent.  This suggests there are less pauses in breathing, therefore your breathing during sleep is healthier
  2. If you are using this with CPAP due to excessive air leak from the mouth openings, you should note less air leak and a more normal AHI.
  3. You should notice an improvement in your overall sleep quality, displayed as SQI.

It's important to mention that lip taping is not suitable or effective for everyone. In some cases, it may not adequately address the underlying causes of snoring or sleep apnea, such as airway obstructions or structural issues. Therefore, it's crucial to consult with your empower sleep care team who can assess your specific condition and recommend the most appropriate treatment options. They can provide personalized guidance and determine if lip taping is a suitable addition to your treatment plan or if other interventions may be more beneficial for you.

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Resources

PMID: 36141367 ;  DOI: 10.3390/healthcare10091755 ;