Hyderabad Doctors Warn Against Viral Mouth Taping Sleep Trend

Medical experts at Yashoda Hospitals and Anu’s Dental in Hyderabad have urged caution regarding the viral social media trend of "mouth taping" during sleep. Pointing to a recent 2025 scoping review, the city doctors warned that the practice lacks strong scientific backing and could pose serious health risks for certain individuals.

Mouth taping involves placing a small strip of tape over the lips before sleeping to encourage breathing through the nose rather than the mouth. While online platforms have popularized the practice as a way to reduce snoring and improve sleep quality, local specialists advise against following the trend without a professional medical evaluation.

Dr. Venu Babu Pentyala, a consultant root canal specialist at Anu’s Dental, stated that current scientific evidence supporting mouth taping is limited. He explained that while a few small studies suggest it may reduce snoring in selected people with mild sleep-disordered breathing, there is no strong evidence that it improves oral health.

Dr. V Nagarjuna Maturu, senior consultant and clinical director of clinical and interventional pulmonology at Yashoda Hospitals, highlighted that a 2025 scoping review identified only a small number of modest-quality studies on the subject. He noted that the findings are inconsistent and insufficient to recommend mouth taping as a standard treatment, classifying it instead as an experimental adjunct.

According to the experts, mouth breathing is often a symptom of an underlying medical issue rather than the root problem itself. Dr. Maturu explained that common causes include nasal blockage due to allergies, sinus disease, a deviated nasal septum, enlarged adenoids, and obstructive sleep apnea. He warned that sealing the mouth can be dangerous for individuals with these undiagnosed conditions, as well as those with asthma or COPD, by worsening oxygen deprivation.

Dr. Pentyala also warned about the oral health impacts of untreated chronic mouth breathing, which dries the mouth and reduces protective saliva, increasing the risk of cavities, gum disease, bad breath, and enamel erosion. However, he emphasized that mouth taping is not the solution and should be avoided by anyone with nasal obstructions, severe allergies, TMJ problems, orthodontic appliances, or anxiety.