These Two Mouth Tapes Help Me Get the Best Sleep Every Night (2025)

I started mouth taping almost a year ago after seeing Instagramers rave about it. It seemed like everyone on my feed—dad bloggers, wellness influencers, and even that one guy on Love Is Blind–were taping their mouths shut at night in favor of better sleep. As an early riser, I’m always on the lookout for ways to improve my sleep, so if it was good enough for all these folks, I figured I’d give it a shot (although I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t freaked out a little).

While there haven't been enough studies on the effectiveness of mouth tape, according to the Sleep Foundation, anecdotally, benefits include reduced snoring, less fatigue, better breath, and less nighttime thirst. Mouth taping promotes nasal breathing, however, which “filters out allergens, adds resistance that benefits lunch volume, and delivers warmer, more humid air to the lungs,” according to the Foundation.

To get some real-world insight into mouth tape from a dental perspective, I spoke with Dr. Tyrell Fridie, DMD, who practices just outside Baltimore and is an active member of the Academy of General Dentistry and the Maryland State Dental Association. When it comes to mouth taping, he recommends a multidisciplinary approach to the practice by discussing it with your dentist and doctor to determine if it’s right for you, especially if you have any sleep disorders or issues.

Mouth tape is touted as providing more restful sleep—which means more energy in the morning. Dr. Fridie says that of the patients he sees, those who use mouth tape tend to spend more time asleep. He attributes this to “an improved position of the lower jaw, especially when laying on [their] back."

He explains that when you lay on your back with your mouth open, the tongue collapses into the back of the mouth, obstructing the airway. Nasal breathing, however, moves the position of the tongue forward and allows air to flow more freely through your airway, and wearing mouth tape necessitates nasal breathing.

Another plus is that mouth taping can help you get rid of morning breath (I've personally noticed an improvement) because switching from mouth to nasal breathing allows saliva to remain in the mouth.

“[Saliva] increases [your mouth’s] pH and decreases acidity which helps protect teeth from progressive decay and cavities,” he explains.

While I’d happily recommend and vouch for mouth taping, Dr. Fridie notes that it might not be for everyone, especially those with airway- or stomach-related issues. “There are inherent risks involved for those with other illnesses, such as GERD or acid reflux, as well as with people who have impacted nasal passageways,” he cautions.

My Mouth Tape Journey

When I started mouth taping, I didn’t run out and buy a bunch of mouth tape. Instead, I used kinesiology tape and just cut a few strips at a time. I covered my mouth with a small piece while I did a few morning stretches after waking up, and I was surprisingly very relaxed. All I had to do was take deep breaths through my nose, and I was totally fine.

Afterwards, I built up the courage to try it while I was sleeping, but not for the whole night. My daughter was (luckily?) in a phase where she would wake up for a potty break around 2:30 am, and since I usually get up around 4:30 am, I took the opportunity to help her out and then put a piece of kinesiology tape over my mouth for the last two hours of sleep.

Since my initial experiment with kinesiology tape, I’ve tried a few different mouth tapes. As a result of experimenting around, I know which types of tape really help—and which ones I can do without.

One mouth tape I really enjoy is from The Skinny Confidential. It's aesthetically adorable and has a soft texture, plus I'm a fan of the brand's beauty products and like the rest of its line, it did not disappoint.

Oi Tape is another personal favorite that pleasantly surprised me, as it came off very clean with no residue whatsoever. It also has vented and non-vented options for mouth taping newbies and pros.

The Skinny Confidential Mouth Tape Review

The Skinny Confidential Mouth Tape is true to the brand’s cheeky aesthetic, delivering full coverage and comfort in one pink, lip-shaped piece of tape. The mouth tape is made from 97% rayon and 3% spandex, and has an almost soft texture on the front.

The tape’s ¾-inch vent in the center is great if you’re just starting out because you can breathe through it if needed, but the tape keeps your entire mouth closed to prevent full nighttime mouth-breathing. This little slit is also great for times when you want to sip something before bed because you don’t need to take the entire tape off and lose the adhesive. Alternatively, if you don’t plan on using the vent at all, like me, you can easily position it so it’s more on your bottom lip rather than in between them.

Some other mouth tapes that I’ve tried leave behind a residue when you take it off in the morning, but this isn’t an issue with the TSC mouth tape—it stays on securely all night, minus any residue. The only thing I don’t love is that the backing comes off in two pieces, which makes it easy to take off, but there’s also more to get rid of in the morning. It also loses a little bit of stickiness when I have to remove it at night to tend to my kids.

When using this tape, I definitely notice that I go to sleep faster and have better breath in the morning. Because it’s soft on the outside, it has a really nice feel when I put it on at night — I know that the soft part doesn’t touch my mouth, but it’s all part of the experience. I also love that the TSC mouth tape comes in a cute, compact tin for storage. It looks great on my nightstand, and I can reuse the tin for storing any small objects when empty.

The Skinny Confidential mouth tape is normally $35 for a 30 day supply, but the company offers 15% off if you sign up for their emails, or 15% off and free shipping by signing up for a subscription.

Oi Tape Review

Oi Tape is a hypoallergenic, white mouth tape that covers the entire mouth. As I mentioned above, it comes in vented and non-vented options to suit different preferences. Although I prefer the latter, I liked the former option more than I thought I would since it allows for a few deep mouth breaths or a yawn before falling asleep.

Oi Tape’s vent is ¼ inch, so it doesn’t allow as much airflow compared to TSC tape. While I didn’t notice too much of a difference between the two vent sizes, I’m also familiar with mouth tape, and again, tend to prefer non-vented options. That being said, if you're new to mouth taping, I suggest opting for Oi Tape’s vented option to ease yourself in. But if you’re looking to completely minimize your mouth breathing, the non-vented pick is the way to go.

Oi Tape is very secure, and it also retains its stickiness really well. When I had to get up to help my kids throughout the night, removing and reapplying it with minimal hassle was much appreciated. Moreover, even though it’s very sticky, it doesn’t leave behind any residue in the morning.

The Oi Tape comes on one small sheet of plastic for the backing, and it’s very easy to take off. Unlike TSC tape, there’s only one piece, plus the mouth tape to discard, streamlining the process a bit more.

Overall, I really love Oi Tape. As with the TSC mouth tape, I feel a sense of relaxation when I put it on at night, and particularly like how much coverage I get with the non-vented version. It’s medical grade tape, and I think that goes towards it feeling very sturdy and secure, while still allowing it to come off so cleanly in the morning.

Oi tape is $28 for a 30-day supply and they also offer 3- or 6-month bundles, though there’s no discount for buying more at the same time. The 12-month supply, however, comes with a free tote.

So Which Mouth Tape Is Better?

This is a tough call because I think each tape serves a bit of a different purpose—besides keeping your mouth shut at night, of course. The Oi Tape is smaller and comes to the corners of my lips which, for me, makes it easier to take off at night if I need to. I frequently find myself fumbling to find the edge of the TSC tape, which hits about ¾ inch from the corners of my mouth.

Additionally, the medical-grade material of the Oi Tape also feels really sturdy. The only major downside is that the slit on the vented version of Oi Tape is smaller than the one on TSC tape, which may be uncomfortable for beginner mouth tapers. Moreover, Oi Tape’s non-vented option really seals your mouth shut, which could take some getting used to, even if you are a seasoned taper.

I think TSC tape is a nice way to ease into the practice. The larger vent makes it easy to breathe through your mouth if you need to, and it comes with the added bonus of a storage tin which is actually really nice. But if you’re willing to dive headfirst into mouth taping, Oi Tape could be a good option as well—just note that you’ll have to get used to breathing through your nose more quickly.

Final Thoughts

Personally, mouth taping has reduced my morning breath, dry mouth, and has improved my overall sleep. While kinesiology or even regular Scotch tape are great training wheels for mouth taping, I think that using actual mouth tape offers a far superior experience—and you don’t have to cut it yourself!

Although I’ve had a positive experience, reviews about mouth taping’s effectiveness are mixed. If you have a sleep condition or are nervous about starting, you should consult with your dentist and doctor before starting this practice.

Shop the The Skinny Confidential Mouth Tape

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