I Taped My Mouth Shut for 100 Days to Get a Better Jawline

You’ve probably heard of ‘mouth taping’ by now. Emma Roberts, Jimmy Fallon, and Gwyneth Paltrow have all been said to try it out. Not to mention tons of people on TikTok, who claim that being forced to breath through your nose while you’re sleeping can improve your sleep, and, most crucially, develop your jawline.

But the internet is filled with general untruths and quasi-health garbage, so I sat down with some experts to get to the bottom of the trend. And to cover all my bases, I tried it myself too.

What is mouth taping?

Mouth taping is exactly what it sounds like. It generally involves taking a small piece of tape and applying it vertically to your mouth to keep it closed while you snooze.

“It’s a simple, non-invasive technique that encourages nasal breathing during sleep,” says Dr. Rizwan Mahmood, dentist and co-founder of Ruh Dental. “This helps redirect breathing through the nose, which is believed to enhance well-being, promote deeper sleep, and reduce snoring.”

Additionally, some guys (like this one) have claimed that it can also strengthen and tighten your jaw. “The idea is that, by keeping the mouth closed, it can affect your facial posture over time,” says Dr. Raquel Amado, dentist and aesthetic practitioner. “While this has gained popularity online, especially among wellness influencers, it’s important to understand the science behind it.”

Can you use any kind of tape?

To get started, the first thing I had to do was get myself some, well… tape. You might be tempted to just whack some duct tape on your lips and call it a day. That would be very silly. “Normal” tape contains all kinds of things like glues and adhesives. Not only can this cause irritation and discomfort, it can also be harmful to your skin. So, please, don’t do that.

“I’d recommend opting for a specialist skin tape instead of regular tape,” says Alexandra Mills, skincare expert at AM Aesthetics. “These are specifically designed to be hypoallergenic, gentle, and breathable. They also prevent skin irritation.”

“If you’re thinking of mouth taping, start by using a small piece in the center of your lips rather than covering your entire mouth,” says Mahmood. “This allows some airflow while encouraging nasal breathing. If you have any concerns, especially if you have breathing issues, always check with a healthcare professional first.”

Can mouth taping really improve your sleep?

According to a paper by the Japanese Red Cross Asahikawa Hospital in 2020, there’s solid evidence to suggest that nasal breathing can improve sleep quality. Earlier research, like this 2015 study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine and this 1999 experiment, all support this. But only a few small studies have investigated the effects of mouth taping on one’s sleep, so there’s not enough evidence to say whether it’s beneficial. It’s also worth noting that using mouth tape can be dangerous for those with sleep apnea.

What about strengthen your jawline?

While mouth taping can encourage nasal breathing, the idea that it can also strengthen your jawline is a pretty novel one. The first time it was mentioned on the internet was back in 2022. TikTok influencer Ollie Martin claimed that mouth taping helped him achieve a more defined jawline. Since then, more and more people have reported the same kind of success. I’m usually quite sus when it comes to these kinda claims, but I gave it a go anyway. So, every single night for the last three months I’ve been taping my mouth closed, all in the name of a hot jaw.