You may have heard of mouth taping, a new wellness practice taking social media by storm that claims to stop snoring, improve sleep, and banish bad breath. Some even claim it can give you a more defined jawline.
Typically, people place tape over their mouth just before they go to bed, in an effort to improve their quality of sleep.
While an increasing number products designed for this purpose have appeared on the market, alongside the practice’s popularity, some just opt to use existing items such as sports tape.
Using mouth tape means individuals have to breathe through their nose while they sleep, which researchers have claimed to have a range of benefits.
Despite being promoted by the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow, Tess Daly, and Steven Bartlett, experts are warning about potential dangers and are questioning whether it is as effective as once thought.
Last night, author Patrick McKeown was supposed to showcase his mouth tape product on Dragons’ Den. He was expected to share how the technique, alongside breathing exercises, helped him fight his asthma symptoms.
But BBC bosses edited the entrepreneur out of the programme, after a science group last week wrote to BBC director-general Tim Davie demanding “immediate action”.
The pitch was axed after the BBC was accused of failing to efficiently scrutinise wellness brands featured on Dragons’ Den pushing “extravagant claims”.
According to the Sleep Foundation, using mouth tape can disrupt sleep by causing irritation, anxiety and difficulty breathing through the nose.
Professor Edzard Ernst, a leading expert in alternative medicines, said: “I’m not aware of any reliable evidence to suggest that mouth-taping improves sleep, stops snoring, cures sleep apnoea, or helps with any other problem.
“Light entertainment should not be misused for misleading the public on serious matters of health.
“Surely the BBC can afford a minimum of research to avoid such calamities and surely there are enough subjects for Dragons’ Den to entertain the public in an honest way.”
Whilst research shows that breathing through your nose has many benefits, such as improving athletic performance and reducing stress, many are urging people to consider the dangers of mouth taping.
UK-based Good Thinking Society charity, wrote a letter to the BBC criticising how wellness products are portrayed on Dragons’ Den.
Project director Michael Marshall said: “Each of these businesses have been allowed to make extravagant claims about the efficacy of their products without facing any real critique or questioning from the show or its producers.
“Not enough is being done by the producers of Dragons’ Den to uphold that trust, and to ensure it is not lent to businesses that promote misleading and potentially dangerous products, via health claims that target specific and vulnerable patient groups.
“People with serious conditions may risk their time, money and even turn down proven treatments in favour of these products.”