The orthodontist called the dangerous trend of mouth sealing during sleep

The use of mouth tapes and tapes, promoted on social media by some proponents of "natural health" and biohacking as a way to improve sleep, get rid of snoring and reduce the risk of tooth decay, can be dangerous. On December 7, Ksenia Sofronitskaya, an orthodontist and speaker of the Eurokappa Academy, told Izvestia about this.

According to the expert, the method is based on the idea that a person should breathe only through his nose, and tape (special adhesive tape) helps to prevent mouth opening in a dream. It is believed that this way you can combat snoring, dry mouth, unpleasant odor, the development of pathogenic bacteria and stimulate diaphragmatic breathing.

However, as the doctor notes, at the moment there are no large, high-quality, randomized controlled trials that would confirm the safety and effectiveness of mouth taping as a method for improving health.

"Besides, mouth sealing may not be safe. A person needs oxygen: during sleep, the body's need for oxygen does not decrease. If nasal breathing is difficult for some reason (congestion, curvature of the septum), the mouth becomes a backup route for air intake," Sofronitskaya warns.

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Forced mouth closure can lead to decreased oxygen levels in the blood (hypoxemia) and in the tissues (hypoxia). This is especially dangerous for people with sleep apnea, asthma, COPD, or heart disease. Some may experience suffocation, morning headaches, fatigue, or sudden awakenings.

In addition, tapes can cause an allergic reaction or skin irritation at the fixation site.

"The adhesive comes into contact with the skin around the lips, and with regular use, redness, itching, or microcracks may appear," the doctor adds.

According to the orthodontist, constantly holding the mouth in a closed position with a tape can also affect the ENT organs. With a stuffy nose and a closed mouth, negative pressure is created, which can worsen problems with the ears or sinuses. Paradoxically, in some cases, this can increase snoring or even lead to more frequent episodes of respiratory arrest (apnea.

The doctor especially warned against the use of tapes by patients with malocclusion. The tape locks the mouth in a closed position and prevents the natural micro-movements of the jaw during sleep. In this position, the load on the temporomandibular joint increases, which can provoke its displacement and contribute to the progression of pre-existing malocclusion.

The doctor notes that snoring and dry mouth should be treated with safe methods.

"The cause of snoring should be determined by a doctor: it may be a curvature of the septum, chronic rhinitis or sinusitis, allergies, adenoids or apnea. Mouth taping is a crude method of making a person breathe through their nose. It does not eliminate the reason why a person breathes through his mouth," Sofronitskaya stressed.

Mouth taping is a potentially dangerous practice that is not approved by evidence—based medicine. The risks associated with suffocation, hypoxia, sleep disorders, and excessive strain on the temporomandibular joint significantly outweigh the possible benefits.

On October 30, Irina Butorina, an orthodontist and ambassador of the EUROKAPPA Academy, told Izvestia about the causes of clicks in the jaw. According to her, clicks and crunches occur when the jaw is displaced relative to its normal position. The specialist stressed that this can signal the work of the joints, as well as lead to inflammation and swelling.

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