By Natalia Nordstrom

NBC Today Show - Mouth Tape Commentary

We watched NBC’s Today Show segment of 11/16 on the growing trend of using mouth tape as an aid to sound sleeping. We were delighted to see this coverage and we would like to add to the current discourse and share our perspective. While there was mention of some empirical support for taping as a means of enhancing sleep patterns and a number of the benefits that arise therefrom, the segment contained many instances of individuals – mostly women – using various forms of adhesive to tape their mouths as an aid to improving their sleep. The segment was limited in its portrayal of tape applications that are specifically designed for thoughtful mouth taping to induce nasal breathing. Moreover, the commentary about mouth taping leading to heart attacks and seizures was alarming when measured against mouth tape products that are specifically designed for promoting nasal breathing in the context of sleep, meditation, working around the house, driving a car, and other pursuits of ordinary life. There are many benefits to nasal breathing and they are not confined to one’s sleeping hours.

We market and distribute a mouth tape product that is expressly designed for the purpose of promoting nasal breathing. You can learn more about our product by visiting our Website, Oitape.com. But let me offer a few observations about how our product differs from the generic medical tape, duct tape, and other non-customized tapes that were depicted on the
Today Show segment.

  • Our tape is produced in a sterile environment suitable for the production of medical products
  • Oitape is shaped so that it neatly contours to form of most individual’s lips
  • The adhesive used is specially designed to adhere tightly to skin yet be quickly and easily removed without discomfort
  • The tape material is netted to give it strength yet be extremely light and pliable
  • The central hole in Oitape is there to allow for limited mouth breathing if necessary and to reduce any anxiety a user might experience when initially using the product
  • There is a small but effective tab on the right side of the OI mouth tape that allows users to easily and quickly remove the tape at will.
  • The product includes cautionary warnings about seeing a doctor prior to use if one has respiratory obstructions, or other limitations.


As noted, mouth taping has many benefits beyond helping to achieve a sound night’s sleep. Saying this, however, is not to minimize this benefit as sleeping is one of the four behavioral practices the American Heart Association has identified as fundamental to heart health, heart disease being the most common cause of death in the US. Here are some additional benefits that attend increase nasal breathing, many of which can be attained outside typical sleeping hours:

  • Reduced dry mouth resulting from saliva evaporation, that can lead to stronger teeth and healthier gums
  • Improved cognitive and emotional connections, especially in the context of meditation or yoga practice
  • Reduced snoring, thereby improving the quality of one’s partner’s sleep
  • Limiting airborne allergens or other bacteria due to the filtering function of nostril hairs
  • Serving as a smell-sensory alert in the event of gas leaks, fire or other dangers that can be smelled but not tasted.

In short, we were designed to breathe through our nasal passages and eat with our mouths. Mouth taping, when done responsibly with well-designed products like ours, helps support this divine design.

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