In His Father’s Footsteps Meet Timothy Cellino
Stop Snoring With … Mouth Tape? THE PROBLEM WITH THIS TIKTOK TREND
Though you might say Timothy Cellino has personal injury litigation in his blood, he wasn’t always sure he wanted to be an attorney. “I graduated college and didn’t really know what I wanted to do,” he admits. Tim worked briefly in wealth management before realizing it wasn’t his field. Of course, he says, “I always had law in the back of my mind. Dad encouraged me to go to law school. He said I didn’t have to practice, but it would open my horizons.”
In 2019, the founders of a company called SomniFix strolled onto the screen of the reality TV show “Shark Tank” — and a TikTok trend was born.
SomniFix makes a product called “Mouth Strips,” which the company describes as a skin-safe adhesive that holds your mouth shut while you sleep. According to the company’s website, the product is supposed to reduce snoring, help people with sleep apnea use their continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines correctly, boost sleep quality, and encourage breathing through the nose instead of just the mouth. Mark Burhenne, D.D.S., wrote about this on Ask the Dentist. "If you’re breathing through your mouth while you sleep at night, it’s a big deal,” he explained. “Not only does it reduce the quality of your sleep, but it disrupts the balance of your oral microbiome and makes you more prone to tooth decay.” Burhenne has legitimate concerns regarding mouth breathing, but does that mean mouth taping is the answer? The Cleveland Clinic sheds some light on this topic by saying that nose breathing while you sleep is vital for preventing dry mouth and sore throat, lowering blood pressure, keeping airborne allergens out of your body, and avoiding bad breath. Unfortunately, the Cleveland Clinic also explains that only a few small studies of 10–36 patients each have explored the effectiveness of mouth taping, and those studies had mixed results. The clinic quoted a sleep medicine specialist, Dr. Cinthya Pena Orbea. “Most of the evidence is anecdotal,” she said. “There is not strong enough evidence to support that mouth tape is beneficial. Mouth taping is not part of our current practice to treat any sleep disorder. Nonetheless, in patients with sleep apnea, we may recommend mouth taping or to wear a chin strap to decrease an air leak while you’re using a CPAP machine at night.” If you’re struggling with mouth breathing, sleep apnea, or snoring while you slumber, don’t jump straight to a mouth tape like SomniFix or Hostage Tape (yes, that’s the name) as a quick fix. Instead of trusting TikTok, visit your dentist or doctor to share your concerns. They can help you identify the actual cause of your issue and address it instead of taping over it.
Tim took his father Ross’ advice and began his legal career in 2017, practicing workers’ compensation law in Boston. He quickly notes, “I always worked against the insurance companies and for the good guys.” After several years of practice, in May 2022, he joined the family business in the Long Island office. “Since my father is in Buffalo, I don’t see him face to face,” Tim says. “But we talk daily. He’s got a wealth of experience, so I bring him a lot of questions and issues to get his input on how to handle things.” Life has changed since Tim joined Cellino Law. For a start, the firm now features him on its billboards in New York City. He also made the news earlier this year after his work got him kicked out of Madison Square Garden. “My girlfriend surprised me with Knicks tickets for my birthday,” Tim explains, “But Madison Square Garden has banned attorneys who work on litigation against them.” Cellino Law filed a slip-and- fall case against the Beacon Theater, owned by Madison Square Garden. While Tim was not involved with the case, he says, “I got flagged on the facial recognition software and booted out. It was a funny experience for my first Knicks game.” Tim is the second youngest among six children and says, “I’m my mother’s favorite.” He maintains his Buffalo roots as an avid Bills fan and enjoys spending his downtime with his “2-year-old son” — a German shepherd named Sal. While he wasn’t always sure about entering the family business, Tim now loves his work. “When someone is injured, and you bring them a big check, their eyes light up, and they’re truly grateful,” he says. “That’s the best part of the job.”
2 Legal disclaimer. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Attorney advertising.
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