A health coach has explained why he tapes his mouth shut every night, claiming it not only improves oral health, but also helps you sleep. He tells all in the video below:
Cory L Rodriguez is a health coach and 'wellness expert', who regularly shares advice on TikTok and Instagram.
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In one of his latest videos, he advocates taping your mouth shut every night, saying it has a variety of health benefits.
He explains: "I tape my mouth shut every night before I go to sleep.
"Let me show you why - and it's not because my wife wants me to stop talking!"
Rodriguez shows that he uses special mouth strips, but that if you can't get hold of any you can also use medical tape.
He continues: "I'm using mouth strips that are actually made for this, but a lot of people can use gentle paper medical tape, that will work.
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"But you do not want to use duct tape as it can harm the lips."
Rodriguez then demonstrates how to apply the strip, gently placing it over his closed lips, before going on to talk about why he does it.
"The goal is to breathe through your nose while you're asleep, versus your mouth," he says.
"This is going to help your oral health, it's going to help your sleep, it's going to help dry mouth, snoring - because you are humidifying and moisturising the air."
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His video has racked up 2.7 million views and more than 130,000 likes.
There are also thousands of comments on the post, although not everyone seemed convinced by the method.
One person commented: "I am too afraid to have my nose clogged and end up dying."
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Rodriguez replied: "Honestly my nose was always clogged, but I got used to it. Nasal strips also help."
Various YouTube videos and articles online recommend using specialised strips from brands like Somnifix or Snorless.
But like Rodriguez, James Nestor - author of Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art - also says you can use cheaper alternatives, and tends to just use inexpensive micropore tape.
Speaking to CNN, he said: "I'm a big fan of American entrepreneurialism, but I don't think you need a special tape to tape your mouth with."
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Nestor continued: "Just a teeny little bit at the centre of your lips. The point is not to inhibit airflow through your mouth, it's to train your jaw shut at night."
Saying the method has been a 'complete game changer', he added: "I travel with [tape] whenever I travel, even when I go camping. I'm convinced it's a good thing, and I've talked to the experts who have told me the same.
"It's been a complete game changer."
Not everyone is fully convinced that mouth taping comes without risks, however. Dr Kathleen Yaremchuk, a sleep specialist in Detroit, told the BBC: "If you were to get sick and you had to vomit, you wouldn't be able to."
Several professionals also advised the news outlet against mouth taping being used by children.
Featured Image Credit: TikTok/@corylrodriguez
Topics: World News, News, Sleep, Health, tiktok