STOP SNORING WITH … MOUTH TAPE?
The Problem With This TikTok Trend
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.
avoiding bad breath. Unfortunately, the Cleveland Clinic also explains that only a few small
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 in regard to 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
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 really 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.
TAKE A BREAK
Tasty Spinach Artichoke Dip
Inspired by DinnerAtTheZoo.com
Ingredients
• 8 oz spinach leaves • 8 oz cream cheese, softened • 1 cup sour cream • 3/4 cup chopped marinated artichoke hearts • 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp salt • 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese • 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided • Sliced bread, crackers, or tortilla chips for serving
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Coat a small baking dish with cooking spray. 2. In a medium pan, steam or sauté spinach until wilted. When spinach cools, ring out excess water, then chop coarsely. 3. In a large bowl, mix cream cheese, sour cream, spinach, artichoke hearts, garlic, salt, pepper, Parmesan cheese, and 3/4 cup of mozzarella cheese. 4. Spread the mixture onto the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese. 5. Bake for 20 minutes or until the dip is bubbly. Turn the oven to broil and cook for an
additional 2–3 minutes so the cheese will begin to brown. 6. Immediately serve with bread, crackers, or tortilla chips.
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