Treatments & Therapy

Please read below before mouth taping:

Taping your mouth at night may seem unconventional and impractical but before dismissing this practice, get informed and see if mouth taping could help you. For many individuals, habitually nasal breathing throughout the night (and day) leads to a more restful and rejuvenating sleep (as well as provides the ability to filter allergens and take advantage of the release of nitric oxide).  

**IF YOU HAVE A NASAL OBSTRUCTION and are unable to breathe through your nose, do not attempt to mouth tape.  An evaluation by an Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist (otolaryngologist) will be necessary.

**DO NOT mouth tape for children under the age of 5. 

**Avoid mouth taping if taking sleep medications and/or with heavy alcohol consumption.

There are various options for mouth sealing at night.  Somnifix and Woody Knows are two brands available for sale online but an inexpensive option is using 3M's one inch micropore tape.  Additionally, Nexcare has a skin tape for sensitive skin types.

Initially, it may be necessary to do some nose clearing exercises to be sure you may get air in through your nose.  In Close Your Mouth, McKeown goes through the different methods of nose clearing.  There are various methods demonstrated online as well.  It is important to learn how to naturally unclog your nose or utilize saline sprays, Xlear nasal spray or  Flonase if necessary before mouth taping.  

Although the objective is to be able to ensure that no air escapes through the mouth and that air is brought in through the nose, it is practical to begin this exercise of mouth taping by applying the tape vertically. Grab a suitable length of tape and fold the ends in. If using 3M micropore tape, stick and unstick to your clothes for easier removal in the morning.  It may be pertinent to begin taping 20-30 minutes before bedtime initially and slowly increase the length of time before you are comfortable enough to fall asleep with the tape.  

Utilizing the nose is very valuable in your overall health and well being. It is the first line of defense against sickness.  When you bring in the air through your nose, bacteria and allergens are being filtered.  The nose also secretes nitric oxide which has many important functions in the body such as vasodilation, immune defense, skin protection, and more. Additionally, the nose has a whole host of other functions such as smell, taste, and even hearing. Habitual mouth breathing usually leads to chronic allergies and congestion.  It is important to employ nasal breathing to take advantage of your bodies biggest defense against airborne allergens.