Mouth taping has sparked plenty of debate in the beauty and wellness space. The TikTok-fueled—backed mostly by anecdotal evidence—has gained serious traction in recent months, involves taping your mouth shut before bed in hopes of reaping potential benefits, from reducing mouth breathing to preventing dryness, all in the name of better sleep. Gwyneth Paltrow has endorsed the practice in a past interview with Daily Mail, and now, Gracie Abrams is on board, too, as revealed in a recent Instagram post.
The 25-year-old singer-songwriter shared the Instagram slideshow following week one of The Secret of Us tour. Mixed in with backstage moments and on-stage snapshots was a candid shot of her in bed, eyes closed, dressed in cozy pajamas, with none other than a sliver of mouth tape sealing her lips shut. Fans were quick to catch on, flooding the comments with reactions like, “If Gracie uses mouth tape, I’ll use mouth tape,” and “Ok mouth tape queen.” (Swipe to the fifth photo in the gallery below to see exactly what we’re talking about.)
As previously shared with NewBeauty, mouth taping may have some benefits when it comes to sleep and overall health. “Using tape to keep your mouth closed while you sleep might encourage you to breathe through your nose instead of your mouth, which can be good for filtering air and getting more oxygen,” explained Shelby Harris, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist and director of sleep health at Sleepopolis.
And it may play a role in dental health, too. John Whyte, MD, MPH, chief medical officer at WebMD, noted that it could help prevent issues like dry mouth, which leads to decreased saliva production. “Saliva is essential for neutralizing acid and helping to clean the teeth and gums—so a reduction can increase the risk of tooth decay, gum disease and bad breath,” he explained.
People tend to question the safety of mouth taping more than its effectiveness. “It’s very important to check with your doctor before trying it, as it may not be the most safe or effective practice for everyone,” Dr. Harris previously warned us. “People with sleep disorders (i.e. sleep apnea), pre-existing respiratory conditions (i.e. asthma), or those who are uncomfortable with the practice are probably better off skipping mouth taping.” Likewise, Dr. Whyte added that “it’s crucial to ensure that the tape doesn’t cause discomfort or anxiety and that you can easily breathe through the nose with the tape in place.”
