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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.
Daily Mail
22-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Warning over deadly suffocation risk of celeb health trend loved by Gwyneth Paltrow
Experts have raised the alarm over the viral sleep trend of taping the mouth shut in a bid to encourage deeper breathing and, as a result, a better night's rest. While the fad may have gained popularity among celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Tess Daly, it deprives wearers of life-giving oxygen overnight, experts from Canada have found. By analysing 10 studies on the practise, scientists at the Lawson Research Institute discovered an alarming risk of potentially fatal suffocation for millions who naturally breathe more easily through their mouth. This is common in those with allergies and even a cold or runny nose, whereby the nasal passages are blocked. Four of the studies the researchers looked at found evidence of the life-threatening risk of suffocation, also called asphyxiation, which means the body is deprived of oxygen. What's more, the analysis showed the trend was useless in relieving snoring or sleep apnoea. 'Mouth taping is a contemporary practice that is often celebrity-endorsed, but is not necessarily scientifically accurate,' Dr Brian Rotenberg, an ENT specialist and author of the study, explained. 'Many people are not appropriate for mouth taping, and in some cases it can lead to risk of serious health harm.' Mouth taping involves securing the mouth shut with adhesive tape, across the lips, before going to sleep, forcing the wearer to breathe through their nose. This, proponents of the practice believe, is what leads to benefits, as snoring is typically caused by tongue vibrations that happen when people breathe through their mouth. Advocates also say breathing through the nose can help protect against bugs, as it triggers the production of a compound called nitric oxide, which acts as a defense mechanism against pathogens we inhale. Nitric oxide has also been shown to relax blood vessels, lower blood pressure and even support kidney function. However, researchers found that in 80 per cent of the studies, there was no evidence that mouth taping helped treat mouth breathing or snoring overnight. Just two of the studies suggested that people with mild obstructive sleep apnoea may benefit slightly from the practice. This common condition, which affects around 1.5million people in the UK, occurs when the walls of the throat relax and narrow or close during sleep, blocking the upper airway. This can interrupt breathing, causing sufferers to wake suddenly throughout the night and has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease and dementia. Most concerning was the risk of asphyxiation, the researchers said. People who suffer from rhinitis—which occurs when the inside of the nose becomes irritated, causing a blocked or runny nose—allergies, or have a deviated septum, are more likely to experience breathing difficulties when using mouth tape, they warned. On the basis of these findings, Dr Rotenberg and his colleagues are confident that existing evidence does not support mouth taping as an effective treatment for snoring or sleep apnea. However, the researchers note, further research is needed to ascertain whether mouth-taping provides other health benefits.
