Latest news with #BrianRotenberg
The Independent
25-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Scientists warn against viral nighttime mouth-taping trend
The recent social media -driven fad of taping one's mouth shut while sleeping to prevent mouth breathing could pose a serious risk of asphyxiation, a new review of studies warns. When one's nasal passages are blocked, breathing naturally shifts from the nose to the mouth. Mouth breathing has been linked to conditions ranging from snoring to obstructive sleep apnea, in which breathing stops and starts frequently during sleep. A viral trend on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram promotes placing tape over the mouth to stop 'mouth breathing' and promote breathing through the nose during sleep. Many social media influencers and celebrities claim mouth taping leads to better sleep, enhanced oral health, and anti-ageing results. However, until now, the safety and effectiveness of nighttime mouth taping remain unclear. 'It was concerning to us that celebrities and influencers are endorsing mouth taping without scientific evidence,' said study co-author Brian Rotenberg. 'In the language of social media influencers, it seemed a bit 'sus,' so we examined what science is telling us about this trend and whether or not it is safe,' Dr Rotenberg said. The new review evaluated over 10 previous studies that assessed the potential benefits of sealing the mouth shut using techniques including tape or other devices like chin straps in a total of 213 patients. Two of the 10 studies suggest that mouth taping may be associated with slight improvement among a subset of people with mild obstructive sleep apnea. However, other studies found no evidence of the practice helping treat mouth breathing, sleep-disordered breathing, or sleep apnea. Four of the 10 studies warn of a potentially serious risk of asphyxiation posed by sealing the mouth shut during sleep among people with serious restriction of nasal airways. Such a serious nasal obstruction could be caused by conditions like hay fever, chronic rhinitis, deviated septum, sinonasal disease, or enlarged tonsils, scientists say. 'Many people are not appropriate for mouth taping, and in some cases it can lead to risk of serious health harm,' they wrote. 'These individuals are unknowingly making their symptoms worse and putting themselves at greater risk for serious health complications like heart disease,' Dr Rotenberg explained. Based on the findings, researchers caution against nighttime mouth taping as a treatment for sleep-disordered breathing. 'We need to make health decisions based on strong scientific evidence. Our hope is that people stop taping their mouths during sleep and recognise it is dangerous,' said Jess Rhee, another author of the study.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Doctors expose TikTok's mouth taping fad as unproven, risky, and medically unsafe
Mouth taping, a viral trend gaining momentum on TikTok and other social media platforms, is under scrutiny after a new Canadian study revealed it poses serious health risks, especially for people with undiagnosed sleep apnea or other breathing disorders. Popular among self-styled 'looksmaxxing' communities and wellness influencers, the practice involves sealing the lips shut during sleep to encourage nasal breathing. Claims range from improved sleep and better oral health to enhanced jawline definition and anti-aging effects. But researchers from the Lawson Research Institute, London Health Sciences Centre Research Institute (LHSCRI), and Western University's Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry say these claims have no strong scientific basis. They reviewed 86 studies on the subject and performed an in-depth analysis of 10 that included 213 patient experiences. The conclusion: mouth taping does not deliver the health benefits influencers promise, and may actually worsen sleep-related breathing issues. While social media content promotes mouth taping as a simple solution for a variety of sleep and cosmetic issues, the researchers found no robust evidence supporting any of these benefits. The trend is being driven largely by non-experts, many of whom lack medical training. Dr. Brian Rotenberg, a researcher at Lawson, LHSCRI, and Schulich Medicine & Dentistry, noted that it was concerning to see celebrities and influencers endorsing mouth taping without scientific evidence. He said, 'In the language of social media influencers, it seemed a bit 'sus,' so we examined what science is telling us about this trend and whether or not it is safe.' The review found no meaningful improvements in sleep quality, oral hygiene, or physical appearance that could be directly linked to mouth taping. In fact, most studies either showed no impact or highlighted potential complications. The biggest concern from the researchers is the risk posed to people with undiagnosed sleep apnea, a condition where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. Taping the mouth can block a crucial airway route, especially if the nose becomes congested. Rotenberg, who is also an otolaryngologist and sleep surgeon, emphasized that taping the mouth shut during sleep is dangerous, especially among those who may not be aware they have sleep apnea. He said these individuals are unknowingly making their symptoms worse and putting themselves at greater risk for serious health complications like heart disease. The rise of mouth taping is closely tied to online beauty and 'optimization' trends, where users chase physical perfection through extreme or unproven techniques. Within the looksmaxxing community, a space focused on enhancing perceived attractiveness, mouth taping has been promoted as a way to fix the so-called 'mouth breather face' and sculpt a more defined jawline. It's often discussed alongside practices like 'mewing,' which involves tongue posture exercises, and 'mogging,' which describes outshining others in looks or dominance. These aesthetic claims have spread rapidly across platforms like TikTok and Reddit, even though they lack credible scientific validation. The influence of viral trends often outpaces scientific scrutiny, creating a gap that misinformation easily fills. People trying these hacks are often unaware of the physiological dangers involved, particularly when they interfere with something as critical as breathing. The study's authors stressed the importance of making health decisions based on scientific research rather than social media fads. The message from the medical community is clear: wellness trends should not come at the cost of breathing safely through the night. The study is published in the journal PLOS One.
The Independent
22-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Viral nighttime mouth-taping trend poses serious risks, scientists warn
The recent social media -driven fad of taping one's mouth shut while sleeping to prevent mouth breathing could pose a serious risk of asphyxiation, a new review of studies warns. When one's nasal passages are blocked, breathing naturally shifts from the nose to the mouth. Mouth breathing has been linked to conditions ranging from snoring to obstructive sleep apnea, in which breathing stops and starts frequently during sleep. A viral trend on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram promotes placing tape over the mouth to stop 'mouth breathing' and promote breathing through the nose during sleep. Many social media influencers and celebrities claim mouth taping leads to better sleep, enhanced oral health, and anti-ageing results. However, until now, the safety and effectiveness of nighttime mouth taping remain unclear. 'It was concerning to us that celebrities and influencers are endorsing mouth taping without scientific evidence,' said study co-author Brian Rotenberg. 'In the language of social media influencers, it seemed a bit 'sus,' so we examined what science is telling us about this trend and whether or not it is safe,' Dr Rotenberg said. The new review evaluated over 10 previous studies that assessed the potential benefits of sealing the mouth shut using techniques including tape or other devices like chin straps in a total of 213 patients. Two of the 10 studies suggest that mouth taping may be associated with slight improvement among a subset of people with mild obstructive sleep apnea. However, other studies found no evidence of the practice helping treat mouth breathing, sleep-disordered breathing, or sleep apnea. Four of the 10 studies warn of a potentially serious risk of asphyxiation posed by sealing the mouth shut during sleep among people with serious restriction of nasal airways. Such a serious nasal obstruction could be caused by conditions like hay fever, chronic rhinitis, deviated septum, sinonasal disease, or enlarged tonsils, scientists say. 'Many people are not appropriate for mouth taping, and in some cases it can lead to risk of serious health harm,' they wrote. 'These individuals are unknowingly making their symptoms worse and putting themselves at greater risk for serious health complications like heart disease,' Dr Rotenberg explained. Based on the findings, researchers caution against nighttime mouth taping as a treatment for sleep-disordered breathing. 'We need to make health decisions based on strong scientific evidence. Our hope is that people stop taping their mouths during sleep and recognise it is dangerous,' said Jess Rhee, another author of the study.
Toronto Star
21-05-2025
- Health
- Toronto Star
Mouth taping: No evidence viral trend is effective, could be harmful for some, new study says
TORONTO - Canadian researchers say there's no evidence that mouth taping has any health benefits and warn that it could actually be harmful for people with sleep apnea. Some social media ads and influencer claims say that putting tape over the lips can help people breathe through the nose while sleeping, and thereby reduce snoring and improve rest. Health It's the hottest trend in sleep. All you have to do is tape your mouth shut Experts are divided on the value of 'mouth-taping,' but its adherents insist it's transformed The senior author of a study published Wednesday in the journal PLOS One said mouth taping could be dangerous for people with sleep apnea, and many may not even realize their breathing stops and starts while sleeping. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'There's a large proportion of people out there who have undiagnosed sleep apnea, possibly severe sleep apnea,' said Dr. Brian Rotenberg, who is an otolaryngology specialist at London Health Sciences Centre, St. Joseph's Health Care London and Western University. 'When you literally tape your mouth shut and your airway is already being blocked somewhere behind that, you've now blocked off basically half of your airway,' he said in an interview Wednesday. Rotenberg's research team screened dozens of studies related to mouth breathing and said 10 were worth examining further. Of those studies, Rotenberg said eight showed no benefits to using mouth tape and two showed minimal benefits that were not clinically significant. Rotenberg said people who have trouble breathing through the nose while sleeping should seek medical advice to find out why. Training yourself to breathe through your nose instead of your mouth is a 'noble goal,' Rotenberg said, noting that nose breathing warms and humidifies the air coming in and prevents dryness and discomfort. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW But there may be a 'mechanical' reason someone can't breathe through the nose, such as a deviated septum, nasal polyps or a nasal valve collapse, he said. 'Mouth tape is not going to fix that issue, right? Mouth tape is not going to fix a mechanical blockage of your nose.' Rotenberg said he and his colleagues conducted the study to provide science-backed advice to a steady stream of patients asking about mouth taping. 'I would say every week in my clinic somebody was saying something about mouth taping. So we thought, well, we should probably look into this.' Rotenberg likens using mouth tape to address a breathing issue to buying eyeglasses off the internet without seeing an eye doctor. 'Maybe all you needed was corrective glasses. Great. (But) what if you're having cataracts? What if you have a glaucoma? Or if it's actually a retina issue? All of these things can present as just 'my vision's not great.' But meanwhile, those are real diseases that should have been treated and are not.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 21, 2025. Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.
Winnipeg Free Press
21-05-2025
- Health
- Winnipeg Free Press
No evidence mouth taping is effective and could be harmful for some, new study says
TORONTO – Canadian researchers say there's no evidence that mouth taping has any health benefits and warn that it could actually be harmful for people with sleep apnea. Some social media ads and influencer claims say that putting tape over the lips can help people breathe through the nose while sleeping, and thereby reduce snoring and improve rest. The senior author of a study published Wednesday in the journal PLOS One said mouth taping could be dangerous for people with sleep apnea, and many may not even realize their breathing stops and starts while sleeping. 'There's a large proportion of people out there who have undiagnosed sleep apnea, possibly severe sleep apnea,' said Dr. Brian Rotenberg, who is an otolaryngology specialist at London Health Sciences Centre, St. Joseph's Health Care London and Western University. 'When you literally tape your mouth shut and your airway is already being blocked somewhere behind that, you've now blocked off basically half of your airway,' he said in an interview Wednesday. Rotenberg's research team screened dozens of studies related to mouth breathing and said 10 were worth examining further. Of those studies, Rotenberg said eight showed no benefits to using mouth tape and two showed minimal benefits that were not clinically significant. Rotenberg said people who have trouble breathing through the nose while sleeping should seek medical advice to find out why. Training yourself to breathe through your nose instead of your mouth is a 'noble goal,' Rotenberg said, noting that nose breathing warms and humidifies the air coming in and prevents dryness and discomfort. But there may be a 'mechanical' reason someone can't breathe through the nose, such as a deviated septum, nasal polyps or a nasal valve collapse, he said. 'Mouth tape is not going to fix that issue, right? Mouth tape is not going to fix a mechanical blockage of your nose.' Rotenberg said he and his colleagues conducted the study to provide science-backed advice to a steady stream of patients asking about mouth taping. Wednesdays A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future. 'I would say every week in my clinic somebody was saying something about mouth taping. So we thought, well, we should probably look into this.' Rotenberg likens using mouth tape to address a breathing issue to buying eyeglasses off the internet without seeing an eye doctor. 'Maybe all you needed was corrective glasses. Great. (But) what if you're having cataracts? What if you have a glaucoma? Or if it's actually a retina issue? All of these things can present as just 'my vision's not great.' But meanwhile, those are real diseases that should have been treated and are not.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 21, 2025. Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.
