What are the risks and benefits of mouth taping for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)?

From the Guidelines

Mouth taping for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is not recommended as a primary treatment due to limited evidence supporting its effectiveness and potential risks. The practice involves taping the mouth shut during sleep to encourage nasal breathing, which may have some benefits such as promoting nasal breathing, reducing snoring, improving humidification of inhaled air, and potentially decreasing mouth dryness upon waking. However, the risks associated with mouth taping, including impaired breathing if nasal passages become blocked, potential skin irritation or allergic reactions to the adhesive, anxiety or claustrophobia, and interference with proper CPAP therapy, outweigh these potential benefits.

According to the clinical practice guideline for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea and snoring with oral appliance therapy 1, oral appliances (OAs) are recommended for adult patients with OSA who are intolerant of CPAP therapy or prefer alternate therapy. The guideline suggests that OAs can improve physiologic sleep parameters, such as reducing AHI, arousal index, and oxygen desaturation index, and increasing oxygen saturation, which can result in an improvement in daily function and quality of life.

Some key points to consider when evaluating the risks and benefits of mouth taping for OSA include:

• The lack of evidence supporting the effectiveness of mouth taping as a treatment for OSA
• The potential risks associated with mouth taping, including impaired breathing and skin irritation
• The availability of more effective and safer treatment options, such as CPAP therapy and oral appliances
• The importance of consulting with a healthcare provider before trying mouth taping or any other alternative therapy.

In terms of established treatments, CPAP therapy is considered the first-line option for treating OSA, as it has been shown to be superior to OAs in reducing AHI, arousal index, and oxygen desaturation index, and improving oxygen saturation 1. However, for patients who are intolerant of CPAP therapy or prefer alternate therapy, OAs may be a viable option. Ultimately, the decision to use mouth taping or any other treatment for OSA should be made in consultation with a healthcare provider, taking into account the individual's specific needs and medical history.

From the Research

Risks and Benefits of Mouth Taping for OSA

• The use of mouth taping in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been studied as a potential treatment option, particularly for those who are mouth-breathers 2.
• Benefits of mouth taping include:
  • Reduction in apnea/hypopnea index (AHI) by approximately 47% 2.
  • Improvement in snoring index (SI) by about 47% 2.
  • Reduction in oxygen desaturation index (ODI) and improvement in lowest saturation 2.
• Risks and limitations of mouth taping are not extensively discussed in the provided studies, but potential concerns may include:
  • Discomfort or difficulty breathing with the mouth taped shut.
  • Limited effectiveness for patients with severe OSA or other underlying health conditions.
• Comparison with other treatment options:
  • Mouth taping may be an alternative to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy or oral appliance (OA) therapy for patients with mild OSA 2.
  • Combination therapy with CPAP and OA may be beneficial for patients with incomplete responses to OA therapy alone, reducing therapeutic CPAP requirements and pharyngeal pressure swings 3.
• Patient selection and response to mouth taping:
  • Patients with higher baseline AHI and SI may experience greater improvements with mouth taping 2.
  • A "responder" to mouth taping was defined as a patient with a reduction in snoring index of at least 50% 2.