She also says it may help with nitric oxide production in the body, since the primary source of nitric oxide is in the nasal passages. “Nitric oxide aids in regulating blood pressure and improving circulation, which in turn can boost both heart health and lower BP. Also, nitric oxide is significant in regulating insulin, which in return affects your blood sugar levels,” she says.

What’s So Bad About Mouth Breathing?

How bad is mouth breathing that people are actually taping their mouths shut? According to one expert, mouth breathing is a bigger problem than you'd expect. “Mouth breathing is wildly unhealthy for any person," says Ben Miraglia, an airway dentist and chief clinical officer at Toothpillow. “There is no amount of mouth breathing that is OK.”

Mouth breathing can cause issues with sleep and breathing in general. Your nose is designed to filter out debris, allergens, and even tiny insects (thank those nose hairs), and it's designed to give your lungs and throat warmer, more moist air, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Your don’t get these same benefits when you breathe through your mouth. It'll also make you more likely to develop sleep problems like sleep apnea, a sleep disorder where breathing repeatedly stops and starts.

Miraglia primarily treats children and approaches airway problems from a youth perspective, including larger dental problems, looking at mouth breathing as a problem overall versus just a sleep problem. From a sleep perspective, the interest in mouth breathing usually comes from sleep problems like snoring and sleep apnea, though getting better air all night long (more moist, less debris, etc.) is obviously a big benefit as well.

Do Doctors Recommend Mouth Tape?

If you're coming here after hearing an anecdotal story about how mouth taping has made someone's sleep better, you aren't alone in hearing about mouth tape that way. There are no shortages of these videos online, frequently touting a specific...