They do different jobs. Mouth tape holds your lips closed, nasal strips lift the sides of the nose to open the nostrils, and chin straps support the jaw to keep the mouth shut. Some people use a nasal strip with mouth tape. Anyone who snores loudly or has a sleep condition should get advice first.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. If you snore loudly, stop breathing or gasp in your sleep, or have a breathing or sleep condition, talk to your doctor before trying mouth tape.
Quick comparison
Here's what each product does, who reaches for it, and how much evidence sits behind it.
| Product | What it does | Who uses it | Evidence | Regulated as (AU) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mouth tape | Holds the lips closed so you breathe through your nose | People who sleep with their mouth open and have a clear nose | Limited and mixed: a few small studies, mostly in people with sleep apnoea [1][2] | Depends on its claims: some tapes sold with snoring claims are on the ARTG; cosmetic tapes aren't [3] |
| Nasal strips | Stick across the nose and pull the nostrils open [4] | People whose nose feels narrow or stuffy at night | Inconsistent; in chronic congestion, no better than placebo for sleep quality [4] | Depends on its claims; check the ARTG [3] |
| Internal nasal dilators | Sit inside the nostrils to widen them [4] | As for nasal strips | Some evidence they work about as well as strips; more research needed [4] | Depends on its claims; check the ARTG [3] |
| Chin straps | Hold the jaw up so the mouth stays closed | People who mainly breathe through their mouth | Research is limited [5] | Depends on its claims; check the ARTG [3] |
Mouth tape
Mouth tape keeps your lips together overnight so air goes through your nose instead. The evidence is thin: a 2025 systematic review found 10 small studies, two showing improvements in sleep apnoea measures and the rest no difference, and it warned of a risk of asphyxiation when the nose is blocked [1]. It's only for adults who breathe comfortably through the nose. Skip it with a blocked nose, untreated sleep apnoea, asthma or COPD unless your doctor agrees, an anxiety or panic disorder, after heavy drinking or if you might vomit, and never use it on children [6]. Our guide is mouth taping safe? covers the risks in detail.
Nasal strips and nasal dilators
Nasal strips and dilators widen the front of the nose to make nose breathing easier. External strips stick across the bridge of the nose and pull the nostrils open; internal dilators sit just inside the nostrils [4]. The Sleep Foundation describes the snoring research as inconsistent, without reliable evidence that strips stop snoring or cut it substantially, and in people with chronic congestion they did no better than a placebo for sleep quality or daytime sleepiness [4]. Side effects are usually mild, such as skin irritation, but strips aren't suitable for children under 5, and people with a latex allergy need a latex-free brand [4]. Strips are not a treatment for snoring caused by sleep apnoea [4].
Chin straps
Chin straps hold the jaw up so the mouth stays closed during sleep. They may help people who mainly breathe through their mouth, but research on how well they work is limited [5]. They're unlikely to help when the problem is a blocked nose, extra tissue in the throat or sleep apnoea, and they aren't a substitute for medical treatment when apnoea is suspected [5].
Using nasal strips and mouth tape together
Some people pair them, but we couldn't find any study of the combination. The logic is simple: the strip makes nose breathing easier while the tape keeps your lips closed. If you try it, test both while you're awake, and remember that a strip doesn't make mouth tape safe if your nose is actually blocked. Every item on the mouth-tape skip list still applies.
Which one for which problem?
Match the product to the reason, and see a GP whenever snoring or breathing is part of the picture.
- Your mouth falls open but your nose is clear: mouth tape or a chin strap, with the safety rules above.
- Your nose feels stuffy at night: treat the congestion and consider a nasal strip; don't mouth tape.
- You snore loudly, gasp, stop breathing or feel sleepy all day: see a GP before trying anything, because these can be signs of sleep apnoea [5][7].
- You use CPAP and air leaks from your mouth: ask your sleep physician. One study found tape reduced mouth leak during bilevel ventilation, a type of breathing machine therapy [2], but that's a decision for your specialist.
- You wake with a dry mouth: start with the causes in our guide to waking up with a dry mouth.
How these products are regulated in Australia
In Australia, products sold with health claims, such as reducing snoring, are regulated as therapeutic goods. Some mouth tapes sold in pharmacies with snoring claims carry an ARTG number, meaning they're included on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods as medical devices, and you can look up any product on the TGA's public ARTG search [3]. Our collagen mouth tape is a cosmetic lip-care product: it isn't on the ARTG, makes no snoring claims, and pretty sleepy. is not intended for snoring or sleep apnoea.
FAQs
Is nose tape the same as mouth tape?
No. Nose tape for sleep generally refers to a nasal strip, which opens the nostrils. Mouth tape keeps the lips closed.
Is a chin strap better than mouth tape?
We couldn't find a study comparing them directly. Both aim to keep the mouth closed, both have limited evidence [1][5], and neither is a treatment for sleep apnoea.
Can I use nasal strips and mouth tape at the same time?
People do, but only with a clear nose and after testing both while awake. See the mouth taping evidence and our mouth tape FAQ for more.
pretty sleepy. is a cosmetic lip-care product, not a medical device. If you snore loudly, gasp or stop breathing in your sleep, or have a breathing or sleep condition, talk to your doctor before using any mouth tape.
Sources
- Rhee J, Iansavitchene A, Mannala S, Graham ME, Rotenberg B. Breaking social media fads and uncovering the safety and efficacy of mouth taping in patients with mouth breathing, sleep disordered breathing, or obstructive sleep apnea: a systematic review. PLOS One. 2025;20(5):e0323643. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0323643
- Fangmeyer SK, Badger CD, Thakkar PG. Nocturnal mouth-taping and social media: a scoping review of the evidence. American Journal of Otolaryngology. 2025;46(1):104545. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjoto.2024.104545
- Therapeutic Goods Administration. Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) search. https://www.tga.gov.au/resources/artg
- Sleep Foundation. How do nasal strips work? Written by Elizabeth Rausch-Phung, MD; medically reviewed by David Rosen, MD. Updated 26 November 2025. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/snoring/how-do-nasal-strips-work
- Sleep Foundation. How to stop snoring: expert tips for quieter sleep. Medically reviewed by Abhinav Singh, MD. Updated 11 November 2026. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/snoring/how-to-stop-snoring
- Sleep Foundation. Mouth taping for sleep: does it work? Medically reviewed by Anis Rehman, MD. Updated 23 March 2026. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/snoring/mouth-taping-for-sleep
- Bowring D. What is mouth taping and will it fix your bad sleep? ABC News, 21 September 2022. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-21/mouth-taping-sleep-is-it-safe/101430200