4 best ways to keep your mouth closed while sleeping

Sharing a bedroom with someone can get quite hectic at times. Not only do you allow the person to scrutinize your sleeping habits, but you also have to get comfortable with them. Some of these habits may be odd, such as only sleeping on the right side of the bed or leaving the bedroom light on. But others might indicate a serious problem, such as sleepwalking or sleeping with their mouth open. 

Whether you or your roommate has gotten into the habit of breathing through their mouths while sleeping, this issue requires immediate rectification. Besides bad breath and swallowing bugs, your roommate might have to listen to you snoring all night. As for you, you’re more likely to develop a sleep disorder. Even if it never gets that serious, mouth breathing leads to a disrupted sleep cycle. 

Best ways to keep your mouth closed while sleeping & stop mouth breathing

Just so you don’t have to compromise your health, we’ve scoured the internet for highly reviewed devices to help you eliminate this awful habit. We assure you that by the time you’re done reading this article, we’ll have found a solution to your mouth breathing. But before that, let’s get to the root of the problem.     

Here are the 4 methods we recommend to keep your mouth closed while sleeping and stop mouth breathing.

1. Mouth tape

Using mouth tape is the best way to keep your mouth closed while sleeping and stop mouth breathing. However, using a neti-pot is another good thing to include to make it easier to breathe.

As we tested the different products, it was clear that the Azazar mouth tape was the best way to keep your mouth closed while sleeping and stop mouth breathing.

2. Tranquility PRO 2.0 Dental Mouth Guard

Once you realize that mouth breathing has become an unshakeable habit, you need to invest in top-notch technology to ensure that’s not the case for too long. And what device is better to experiment with than the dental mouth guard by tranquility? It’s not only highly affordable but also very effective. Within a week of using the mouth guard, you’ll no longer rely on your mouth for oxygen intake. 

To ensure the guard fits your jaw perfectly, it’s made using soft, pliable polymers dipped into hot water and then bitten into. The polymer eventually hardens, taking the shape of your mouth. This should be sufficient to remove any doubt or discomfort from your mind. The unique lock technology ensures the mouth guard firmly stays in place. It opens the airway in your throat and allows an uninterrupted air passage. 

As long as you have the tranquility dental mouth guard in your mouth, you’ll have a restful night. As we tested the Tranquility PRO, we found that it really does work on lessening your snoring.

Name	Tranquility PRO 2.0
Helps with	Airflow & grinding teeth
Material	Plastic
Feature	Custom molding

3. Rhinomed Mute Nasal Dilator

Nasal congestion and airway blockage are the most common reasons you would sleep with your sleep mouth open. Therefore, it’s only fair to try and treat that. The nasal dilator won’t just be a miracle worker for you but also help your roommate get a snore-free night. 

The Rhinomed mute nasal dilator is clinically tested to improve airflow through the nasal cavity by 40%. Increased oxygen intake drastically enhances sleep quality and helps you wake up fresh. Before bed, insert the dilator into your nostrils so only the bridge shows. Since it’s available in three different sizes, you won’t feel discomfort. Furthermore, the device uses soft, medical-grade, and pliable plastic to make the entire experience feel like a breeze.

We tested out the Rhinomed and thought it was great, although not necessarily the easiest product to get used to.

Name	Rhinomed
Helps with	Opening up airways
Material	Plastic
Feature	Different sizes available

4. SinuCleanse Soft Tip Neti-Pot

If you’ve been experiencing flu-like symptoms, you’ll probably have to breathe through your mouth when you go to bed tonight. Not only would that interrupt your peaceful slumber, but it also leaves you with bad breath and a dry mouth in the morning. The quickest way to eliminate this possibility is to relieve the congestion in your nasal cavity. You could wait for the gunk to clear on its own or invest in the neti-pot by SinuCleanse. 

Retailing at around $10, the product comes with a latex-free, soft tip neti-pot and 30 all-natural saline packets. You must fill the pot with distilled water and drop it in the saline water packet. After soaking the packet for a few minutes, you can insert the soft tip into your nasal cavity for a thorough washing. 

As we tested the Neti-Pot, it was obvious that it’s probably the best saline water dispenser on the market.

Name	SinuCleanse
Helps with	Cleaning the sinus
Material	Salt
Feature	30-use supply

How to breathe better at night

Throughout the day, you go about multiple tasks and don’t notice any changes in your breathing pattern. But when you decide to settle down for the night, you might find yourself breathing heavily. There’s also the possibility of a physical or mental ailment hindering your breathing process. Either way, you can adopt a few methods to improve your breathing. 

Here’s everything you need to add to your nighttime routine:

Breathing exercises

Shortness of breath can make you feel anxious, which might result in a night of disrupted sleep. To ensure your night isn’t ruined, adopt a breathing exercise that works for you. When you’re nervous or anxious, breathing gets a bit more complicated. In this case, you need to practice diaphragmatic breathing. 

All you have to do is lie on a flat surface and breathe in so your stomach moves. Repeat the breathing exercise for about 5 to 10 minutes, and any restriction you may feel due to anxiety will most likely subdue. You can even try the alternate nasal breathing exercise if you’ve got a congested nose. The method allows you to focus on each breath more closely without resorting to open-mouth breathing. 

Sleeping position

Whether or not you’ve been diagnosed with sleep apnea is a separate argument. Sometimes you may have trouble breathing because your body position restricts oxygen intake. When this happens, you need to switch to the side and sleep with a pillow between your legs. But if you’d like to continue sleeping on your back, place a pillow under your knees. You’ll almost immediately notice improved lung function and breathing pattern. 

Lose weight

The shortness of breath might not be related to anxiety or a sleep disorder. But you’re more likely to experience the same symptoms if you’re heavier. To ensure your breathlessness isn’t caused by obesity or excessive fatty deposits, it’s recommended that you lose some weight. It can be a gradual change, just enough for your body to improve its cardiovascular and pulmonary health. 

Invest in a dehumidifier.

In some cases, shortness of breath is the body’s flaw. In other cases, the environment contains too much water vapor and not enough oxygen. You’re not to blame if your bedroom feels particularly stuffy and congested. However, you can mend the situation by investing in a dehumidifier. The machine reduces the water level in the air and removes any mildew or mold growing on the bedroom walls. 

Quit alcohol and smoking.

Picking up a few bad habits in your youth isn’t uncommon, but you should know when to cut them down. Heavy smokers and drinkers are more likely to experience shortness of breath at night because their airways have been greatly compromised over the years. The lung and throat function is affected due to the harmful chemicals. Giving up these habits will improve your breathing pattern drastically. You’ll be able to notice a change within days.  

Open your nasal pathway.

Nasal congestion is one of the most common reasons for experiencing breathlessness at night. Whether recovering from a cold or the nasty flu, reducing the congestion can drastically improve your oxygen intake. You can use a saline spray, neti pot, or a nasal dilator to open the nasal cavity. Once the congestion has subdued, you’ll be able to enjoy a night of uninterrupted sleep.  

Why do I sleep with my mouth open?

Before searching for a remedy, you must understand the cause of your problem. Sleeping with your mouth open is more common than you’d think. Every other person develops this habit throughout their life. For some, it only lasts a few weeks. But for others, it becomes a life-long friend. 

While many factors can be blamed, the most common is a stuffy nose. When you’re suffering from allergies or the common flu, your nasal cavity tends to get congested. As a result, you may not be able to breathe through your nose. So you involuntarily resort to the next best thing, breathing through your mouth. 

Besides nasal congestion, having a deviated septum binds you to the same fate. Where allergies typically go away within a week, a deviated septum isn’t as easy to eliminate. You’ll have to sign up for a septoplasty that repositions and replaces your nose cartilage and bone. 

If you’re diagnosed with sleep apnea, you’re more likely to breathe through your mouth. The disorder temporarily closes your airways, so the body sleeps with the mouth open. Additionally, you may become particularly fond of the habit when you’re under unusual stress or anxiety.           

Is sleeping with your mouth open bad

If you’ve only recently realized that you sleep with your mouth open, you might have many questions about it. But most importantly, you may wonder how it affects you. Unfortunately, it’s more than just snoring. Open-mouth breathing leads to multiple oral health issues and may even worsen your physical health. It may be surprising that it can lead to something as trivial as a cavity and something as serious as heart disease. 

Here’s all that could go wrong:

Oral health issues

When you breathe through your mouth, you increase the chances of your saliva drying up. As a result, the growth of healthy bacteria is halted. But that’s not all! It further leads to gum disease, plaque accumulation, tooth decay, bad breath, and weaker bones. 

As an adult, your physical development may not be affected. But for a child, open-mouth breathing could affect the timely formation of bones and teeth.  

Physical health issues

The human body opts for nasal breathing under normal circumstances. Only when something is hindering normal function it settles for mouth breathing. This is because less oxygen is inhaled through the mouth. Furthermore, research finds that lung performance is reduced, and conditions like asthma become more likely.  

But if your body continues to breathe in oxygen through the mouth, it can lead to serious ailments. For instance, you may develop cardiovascular diseases, liver problems, diabetes, infertility, and even depression. To add to the list, you risk cognitive impairment and developing brain abnormalities.    

How to prevent dry mouth while sleeping

Sleeping with your mouth open isn’t a nuisance only for your roommate. It cannot be very pleasant for you, especially when you wake up the next morning to find your mouth drier than the Sahara desert. When you sleep with an open mouth, the saliva dries up. So no matter how much water you drink before bed, you’re bound to wake up feeling parched. 

Here are a few tips to help you get rid of a dry mouth:

Take care of your oral hygiene.

Make a habit of brushing twice a day and flossing regularly. Once you brush your teeth at night, you should abstain from all food and sugary drinks.  

Avoid caffeine at night time.

Caffeine dehydrates your body by increasing the water concentration in the urine. Only drink caffeine later in the day if you also plan to hydrate accordingly. Otherwise, you can switch to green tea or matcha. They tend to be less dehydrating. 

Reduce your salt intake.

Consuming excessive sodium sends your kidney into overdrive. It works additional hours to maintain a balance, drawing out more water. As a result, your body feels dehydrated.  

Stay hydrated

The best way to get rid of a dry mouth is to ensure your body is hydrated. Drink multiple glasses of water throughout the day. Additionally, keep a check and balance on your electrolyte levels as well.   

FAQs

Does mouth breathing change your face?

Mouth breathing contributes to multiple sleep disorders and physical ailments. In addition to the damage it causes to your oral and physical health, it also changes the shape of your face. If the problem persists over a long period, you’ll develop the ‘adenoid face .’The face structure becomes altered over time to have a higher facial height, an imperfect lip seal and a narrow dental arch. 

Is mouth-taping dangerous?

In hopes of finding a remedy to mouth breathing, you might have stumbled across taping your mouth. It seems straightforward. But the practice is not only quite dangerous, but it also doesn’t work. It doesn’t encourage breathing through the nose, but it increases the likelihood of sleep apnea and other sleep disorders.  

Can you snore with your mouth closed?

Typically, snoring is a habit that is associated with open-mouth breathing. However, the same is possible even when breathing through your nose. You’re likely to snore with a closed mouth if you’ve got a congested nasal cavity, weak palatal tissue, or enlarged tonsils. 

Is it bad to sleep with your mouth open?

Sleeping with your mouth open dries up the saliva and requires the salivary glands to work overtime to compensate. But that’s not all the damage it causes. If you continue open-mouth breathing, you’ll notice a visible decline in your oral and physical health. Your oral hygiene will deteriorate drastically, developing gum disease, plaque accumulation, and tooth decay.