They both get filed under "nose breathing," but they do very different jobs. Here's what each one does, what the research says, and which to try first.

By the TAVO Sleep Team · Updated October 2026 · 6 min read

Two browser tabs open. One for nasal strips, one for mouth tape. You wake up most mornings with a dry mouth, your partner says you sleep with your mouth open, and you'd just like to know which of these actually makes sense for you.

What nasal strips do

An external nasal strip is a flexible band that sticks across the bridge of your nose. As it tries to straighten, it lifts the sides of your nose outward and widens the nasal valve, the narrowest part of your nasal airway.

Research on external nasal dilators shows they lower the resistance to breathing through your nose. In plain terms: air moves through more easily. That can help if your nostrils tend to pinch inward when you breathe in, or if nose breathing just feels like hard work at night.

What they don't do: a systematic review and meta-analysis found nasal dilators did not meaningfully improve sleep apnea. In the US, nasal dilators are regulated by the FDA as a Class I device, the lowest-risk category.

The key thing about strips is that they don't block anything. If your nose gets stuffy at 3 a.m., you can still breathe through your mouth.

What mouth tape does

Mouth tape is a small strip of tape made for skin, placed over your lips at night to help keep them closed. The idea is that if your mouth stays shut, you'll breathe through your nose.

The research is thin. A 2025 systematic review in PLOS ONE concluded the evidence does not strongly support mouth taping and raised safety concerns, especially for people whose noses are blocked. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has warned against viral sleep trends including mouth taping, and Cleveland Clinic notes there isn't enough scientific evidence that it stops snoring.

Some people still like how it feels. That's fine, as long as you go in with realistic expectations and follow the safety rules below. We cover the evidence in more detail in what the 2025 mouth taping review found.

Side by side

What each one changes

• Nasal strips: make the airway through your nose a little wider.
• Mouth tape: encourages your lips to stay closed. It doesn't do anything to your nose.

What the evidence says

• Nasal strips: shown to lower nasal resistance. Not shown to help sleep apnea.
• Mouth tape: weak evidence overall, with possible safety concerns.

If your nose is stuffy

• Nasal strips: may make breathing through a narrow nose feel easier.
• Mouth tape: don't use it. If your nose is blocked, taping your mouth closed is a bad idea.

Who should be cautious

• Nasal strips: people with sensitive or irritated skin on the nose. Stop if it bothers your skin.
• Mouth tape: a much longer list, covered in the safety section below.

Which one do you need?

Work through these in order:

1. Check for warning signs first. If you snore loudly, gasp or choke at night, someone has noticed pauses in your breathing, or you're very sleepy during the day, talk to a doctor before trying either one. These can be signs of sleep apnea.
2. Check your nose. While you're awake and relaxed, close your mouth and breathe through your nose for a couple of minutes. If that's hard, start with the congestion. A doctor or pharmacist can help with ongoing stuffiness.
3. Try nasal strips first. Give them a week or two. Notice whether your mouth feels less dry in the morning or nose breathing feels easier.
4. Consider mouth tape only if your nose is clear, strips alone haven't been enough, and none of the safety warnings apply to you.

For the bigger picture on why your nose is the default airway, see our guide to nose breathing at night.

Can you use nasal strips and mouth tape together?

Some people do. If you go that route, the strip comes first. It opens the nasal passage, and the tape is only reasonable when air is already moving comfortably through your nose. A few tips:

• Try the tape while you're awake first, sitting on the couch, to see how it feels.
• Use a small piece rather than covering your whole mouth.
• Take it off right away if you feel short of breath, panicky or congested.
• Skip the tape on any night your nose is stuffy, even if you're used to it.

Who should skip mouth tape

Don't use mouth tape if any of these apply:

• Your nose is blocked or congested, from a cold, allergies or anything else.
• You have, or might have, sleep apnea.
• You've been drinking alcohol or taking medicine that makes you drowsy.
• You snore loudly, gasp or choke at night, or feel heavily sleepy during the day. See a doctor first.
• It's for a child. Talk to their pediatrician.

If you want the full rundown, read our honest look at the risks of mouth taping.

Where TAVO fits

We sell nasal strips, mouth tape, and a Better Breathing Bundle with both. So here's the plain version: our nasal strips are designed to open the nasal passage so nose breathing can feel easier, and our mouth tape is designed to help keep your lips closed. Neither one treats snoring, sleep apnea or any medical condition.

The bundle is for people who've decided to try nose breathing, have checked the safety list above, and want both on hand. Start with the strips. Add the tape later only if your nose is clear and it feels right for you.