Summary
The What's That Rash? team tackles mouth taping from a balanced, skeptical angle, reviewing listener questions and the scientific evidence for and against the practice. Co-host Norman, an obligate mouth breather due to a deviated septum from a childhood injury, tries mouth taping himself with mixed results -- he lasted about an hour before panic set in from being unable to breathe through his nose, highlighting why nasal obstruction should be addressed before attempting the practice. The episode methodically steps through each major claim: there is some preliminary evidence that mouth taping reduces snoring and mild sleep apnea (with worse snorers seeing greater benefit), a tenuous link to the Buteyko method's lung-expanding back-pressure theory, some physiological basis for heart health benefits via vagus nerve stimulation during nasal breathing, and weak evidence for the cosmetic jawline claims popular on social media. They note the connection between childhood mouth breathing and facial development as legitimate, while dismissing the idea of overnight jawline changes. The hosts conclude that for people without nasal obstruction or serious respiratory conditions, mouth taping is low-risk and worth trying if it subjectively improves sleep quality.
Key Points
- A preliminary study found mouth taping improved snoring and sleep apnea, with worse snorers seeing greater benefit
- Mouth taping has a tenuous connection to the Buteyko method through the concept of nasal exhalation creating back pressure to keep lungs expanded
- The nose filters pathogens, warms air, and provides immune protection that mouth breathing bypasses entirely
- Nasal breathing may lower blood pressure and calm the heart through vagus nerve stimulation, but cardiovascular benefits would require years to manifest
- Chronic mouth breathing in children can alter facial development, but overnight jawline changes from mouth taping are not realistic
- Contraindications include sinus infections, alcohol or sedative use, nasal polyps, obesity, severe heart or lung problems, and potential skin irritation from adhesive
- Norman's failed N-of-one experiment demonstrates why people with deviated septums or nasal obstruction should fix the underlying issue first
- The hosts conclude mouth taping is low-risk for people without nasal obstruction and worth trying if it subjectively improves sleep
Key Moments
Buteyko method theory behind mouth taping and lung back-pressure
The hosts explain the theoretical basis for mouth taping, rooted in the Buteyko breathing method. When breathing through the nose, there is more resistance on exhale creating back-pressure that expands the lungs, plus the nose filters pathogens and warms air before it reaches the lungs.
"when you breathe through your nose, there's more resistance to the air when you exhale. And therefore, there's back pressure on the lungs, which expands them a little bit."
Worse snoring and sleep apnea showed greater benefit from mouth taping
The hosts review evidence showing mouth taping improves snoring and decreases sleep apnea, with a preliminary study finding that worse snoring or apnea actually showed greater benefit from taping. They also discuss nasal breathing's effect on the vagus nerve and potential heart health benefits.
"in fact, what they found was the worse the snoring or apnea was, the greater the benefit from mouth taping. It was less noticeable in people with mild obstructive sleep apnea."
Doctor's own N-of-1 mouth taping trial failed due to deviated septum
Dr. Norman Swan tried mouth taping for one night but panicked because his deviated septum prevented proper nasal breathing. He lasted only an hour or two before removing the tape, waking up exhausted, illustrating exactly why nasal obstruction must be addressed before attempting mouth taping.
"as soon as I taped over, I started to get panicky because there was some trouble breathing through the nose. But I got through an hour or two of sleep, but eventually I had to ease it off. And then I fell back asleep, but woke up completely knackered because there had been so much stress on my system."
Mouth taping is low-risk enough to try if it helps your sleep
Despite limited evidence, the doctors conclude mouth taping is not going to kill people and if listeners report feeling better sleep, they should keep going. However, they caution against it for those with infections, alcohol use, nasal problems, obesity, or severe heart and lung conditions.
"And then there's the effect of the actual tape on your lips. Right. So like a skin irritation that you might get. Yeah. And I think in this case, what the heck, if people are saying, as they are saying to us, they're finding it good for their sleep, go for it. So I must know, Norman, how did you feel after your night, your single night, your N equals one of one of mouth taping? Completely bloody shite. Oh, no. Yeah. But you see, if I'd looked at these side effects, I probably wouldn't have tried it. But, you know, I actually do have problems breathing through my nose. And therefore, as soon as I taped over, I started to get panicky because there was some trouble breathing through the nose. But I got through an hour or two of sleep, but eventually I had to ease it off. And then I fell back asleep, but woke up completely knackered because there had been so much stress on my system. But that's me. So you didn't even last a night? No. Because otherwise you would have died. I'm glad you took it off, Norman. Yeah, yeah. No, no. I wouldn't have died. Self-protection does re-emerge. And that's why you shouldn't be taking it when you've got alcohol because you've got problems there. You might not be fully aware to appreciate that you're in difficulty. So for me, it didn't work. But I actually know why it didn't work. It was my nose. Maybe one day if I get a near nose and throat surgeon to re-break my nose and straighten it, I'll have another go. When you get your nose job. I don't like to think of it as a nose job. It is a nose job. I suppose it is a nose job, but you know, the only thing that will happen is that the point of my nose will move to the midline rather than being to the right. We love you asymmetrical nose and all, Norman. So to come back to Justin, Anna and Nigel, keep going. Yeah, stick with it. Well, thank you for sending that question in. If you have a question you want us to answer, you can always email us. We are thatrash at abc.net.au, which is also where you can email not questions. And we have had some feedback, Norman, on our brain fog episode. Anna said, in last week's episode, you mentioned that medications used to treat drug and alcohol addiction are showing promise against brain fog. Anna says, I took low dose naltrexone for eight weeks and it certainly boosted my energy level, but my brain was turned to mush. Anna says, I was floating along on a pink cloud of cheerful vagueness. That's my normal state. But I decided enough was enough when I realised I'd put the electric kettle on the gas cooktop. Oh, no."
