Fitness influencer Ashton Hall’s bizarre morning routine has breathed new life into the “sleepmaxxing” trend — a wellness craze aimed at optimising the duration and quality of sleep. One standout technique? Mouth taping — claimed to reduce snoring, dry mouth, teeth grinding, and bad breath while also sculpting your jawline and reshaping your nose.
With limited research on mouth taping and plenty of scepticism surrounding it, we asked Dr Gizem Seymenoglu, a London-based dentist and medical aesthetician, whether or not this practice is worth trying.
According to Dr Gizem, the effectiveness of mouth taping in changing one’s jawline depends on how old they are.
“I do believe mouth taping can change the shape of a person's jawline. However, theoretically, it would only work for those who are still in the growth phase. It basically means that after turning 25, males are highly unlikely to gain any benefit from a mouth tape alone because they won’t be going through any more growth spurts.”
As for changing the shape of the nose, the expert practitioner, who has over a decade of experience, believes it can also be achieved through mouth taping.
“Due to the fact that you're forced to breathe through your nose when the mouth is taped, the pressure changes in the skull may change the shape of your upper and lower jaw. This can possibly make the contours of your nose look different.”
The London-based facial aesthetician further added that chronic mouth breathing is actually bad for your facial structure, especially during childhood.
“There's such a thing as the "mouth breathing face," which results in a receding chin and a narrow upper jaw, potentially affecting dental alignment and facial balance. It can also make your face appear longer and narrower, negatively affecting its overall harmony.”
Therefore, mouth taping may prove to be helpful in that regard. Still, Dr Gizem urges caution when it comes to certain aspects of this trend.
“Although this trend has been booming, I would still be wary of getting sucked into it too quickly, as it has its own potential problems, including impaired breathing, increased aspiration risk and sleep disruption. The tape itself can cause skin irritation or an allergic reaction. Moreover, it's important to remember that mouth taping doesn't provide an adequate scientific foundation for claims related to improved sleep quality, better oral health and reduced snoring. So, take this with a grain of salt.”
If you want an alternative to mouth taping to improve breathing through your nose, Dr Gizem recommends magnetic nasal strips as an alternative. “Magnetic nasal strips work by enlarging your nostrils and improving airflow, which can then help you breathe and sleep better,” she noted.
For reshaping the nose and jawline, the aesthetician recommends injectables like dermal fillers, which will give you immediately noticeable results.
