Missing a night of proper sleep can make you sluggish and irritable at best and, at worst, make getting through the day nearly impossible. Though an occasional bad night’s rest won’t harm you, chronic sleep deprivation can severely impact your health by increasing your chance of developing dementia, diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers.
Getting a good night’s rest can be vital to ensure proper health. You may have heard of mouth taping. A sleep aid technique where individuals tape their mouth shut before bed to encourage nasal breathing while they sleep. There are some benefits, such as improvements to mild sleep apnea, that have been found through scientific studies. This technique isn’t just a fad. But is it worth it, and does it work? Keep reading to find out more.
What The Science Says
Currently, scientific literature on mouth taping is in its early stages. A few studies, such as one published in the journal Healthcare, found mouth taping to offer a statistically significant improvement for mild obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA is a sleep disorder that completely blocks the airways during sleep.
Furthermore, science has suggested that nasal breathing has many benefits, such as helping anxiety, decreasing heart rate, filtering out airborne debris and pathogens, improving cognitive function, humidifying the air to encourage better oxygenation, and more.
Ultimately, no studies have reported negative effects of mouth taping. If you’ve been waking up with a dry mouth and scratchy throat, which can be signs of mouth breathing during sleep, speak with your doctor to see if mouth taping might be for you.
What To Do if You Still Aren’t Sleeping Well
If you’ve tried mouth taping and still have trouble with excessive fatigue, it may be necessary to see a healthcare specialist. Mouth taping seems to help mild cases of OSA due to its ability to help reposition the palate and tongue. The palate and tongue can cause obstruction, impeding airflow and disrupting sleep.
In more severe cases of sleep apnea, other obstructions can be present that mouth taping may not be able to address. In this case, working with a dentist experienced with sleep apnea diagnosis and treatment can help you find relief.
Find Sleep Apnea Help With a Neuromuscular Dentist in Oakton, VA
Sleep apnea can often go undiagnosed and unnoticed by those who have it. If you’ve been waking up with a dry mouth and experiencing excessive fatigue regardless of how much sleep you get, visit a dentist.
At Softouch Dental Care, Dr. Michael Chung has over 15 years of experience in a variety of methods to help bring sleep apnea relief, from mouth guards to intraoral appliances and even CPAP. Utilizing questionnaires, a polysomnogram, and an oral exam, Dr. Chung can determine the cause of your sleep apnea.
For sleep disruption relief, work with Soft Touch Dental Care. Call 703-319-6990 to schedule your appointment.
