TikTok’s “morning shed” trend: Do mouth taping and chin straps impact oral health and sleep?

Tooth gems, mewing, mouth tape, veneers ... the viral nature of TikTok allows trend cycles to make waves across the internet in an incredibly short amount of time. In our increasingly health and beauty-conscious society, the concept of "wellness" is a linchpin for the app. One of the latest popular wellness trends involves something called the "morning shed." While this trend is mostly harmless, it still has the potential to encourage unsafe practices that may affect users' sleep and oral health.

What is the "morning shed" trend on TikTok?"

"Morning shed" videos consist of TikTok users, typically Gen Z and Millennial females, removing (or shedding) the excessive amount of beauty products applied to their face before bed.¹ The idea behind this is that "going to bed ugly" (i.e., proactively using products designed to improve health and cosmetic appearance) will make you "wake up pretty" after they work their magic overnight. Followers of this trend typically remove the mouth and face tape, eye masks, chin straps, and anti-aging patches they applied before going to sleep.

But is this overkill? Does it even work? Can it be dangerous to sleep with so many objects on your face?

Affects of mouth taping and chin straps on oral health

Chin straps

While many tout that wearing a chin strap to bed not only sharpens the jawline but improves snoring, sleep apnea, and bruxism, this is not the case. Despite this, some users believe the tight fabric of the straps that hold the skin in a certain position for a prolonged period of time will make the body naturally conform to that shape. There is currently no scientific research to support this.

According to Dr. Daniel Barrett, a plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills: "I don't think wearing this [chin strap] long term is actually going to do anything for your neckline. I've never seen any studies, there's no evidence to back this up, that wearing this is going to help with anything."²

Furthermore, a report published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine revealed out of 26 study participants, chin straps offered no improvement in any measure when it came to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).³ The study tracked the participants' sleep apnea during different stages of sleep-like the rapid eye movement (REM) stage-as well as in different positions-like being supine on one's back-in the hopes that chin straps would deliver relief for those who develop apnea limited to these situations. Unfortunately, chin straps did not alleviate their symptoms.

Wendy Troxel, sleep expert at RAND Corporation, also says chin straps cannot effectively treat snoring or bruxism, either.²

Mouth tape

The benefits of mouth tape are a mixed bag; even beyond the "morning shed" trend, many people tape their mouths to encourage their body to breathe through the nasal passageways while they sleep.

At a baseline, nasal breathing during sleep is a good practice, as mouth breathing "increases cortisol levels by creating shallow, rapid breathing patterns compared to the calming processes of nasal and diaphragmatic breathing."⁴ It also limits the body's production of nitric oxide, which helps regulate blood pressure and heart rate variability.⁴ For those with OSA, taping the mouth can potentially reduce the collapse of the upper airway, thus reducing snoring.⁵

But wearing mouth tape isn't a foolproof solution, nor is it always beneficial. Although studies have shown that mouth tape can help those with mild OSA, not everybody who tapes their mouth before bed is doing so due to an underlying condition. There is also a significant lack of scientific studies on its side effects.⁵ Those simply following a TikTok trend may have perfectly normal sleeping habits, so taping their mouths before bed may not be providing any benefits. In any event, people with concerns about their nighttime breathing should consult a doctor or dental professional before beginning mouth taping.

What about quality of sleep?

Overall, the "morning shed" routine is an innocuous trend, but it does not provide the benefits many TikTok users claim to have after repeated use. If anything, the mouth tape and the chin strap, in addition to various anti-aging masks and patches, may lead to unnecessary discomfort or anxiety while sleeping.

Jeff Kahn, sleep expert and CEO and cofounder of Rise Science, says experiencing frequent discomfort while you sleep can disrupt the natural progression of sleep stages throughout the night and trigger the body's stress response. This can increase arousal and lead to frequent awakenings.⁶

Kahn also notes that those interested in trying out this trend should experiment with the products they are planning to apply during the daytime to ensure they do not cause anxiety or irritate the skin.

References

1. Clarke G. What is the "Morning Shed Routine", the latest beauty trend from TikTok? L'officel. February 8, 2025. https://www.lofficielibiza.com/beauty/morning-shed-routine-new-beauty-trend-tiktok-what-is-it

2. Wigle R. TikTok chin strap trend: Medical experts reveal if it works. New York Post. July 16, 2024. https://nypost.com/2024/07/16/health/medical-experts-debunk-tiktok-trend-of-wearing-chin-strap-to-bed/

3. Bhat S, Gushway-Henry N, Polos PG, et al. The efficacy of a chinstrap in treating sleep disordered breathing and snoring. J Clin Sleep Med. 2014 Aug 15;10(8):887-92. doi: 10.5664/jcsm.3962

4. Laney, L. Airway resistance and dental anxiety: What dental hygienists need to know. Dentistry IQ. January 23, 2024. https://www.dentistryiq.com/dental-hygiene/clinical-hygiene/article/14303925/airway-resistance-and-dental-anxiety-what-dental-hygienists-need-to-know

5. DeNike Power, T. Mouth taping for sleep: A TikTok trend with merit. Dentistry IQ. January 13, 2022. https://www.dentistryiq.com/dentistry/occlusion-tmj-and-sleep-medicine/article/14223585/mouth-taping-for-sleep-a-tiktok-trend-with-merit

6. Stokes V. How TikTok's 'morning shed' trend can irritate your skin and disrupt sleep. Healthline. July 24, 2024. https://www.healthline.com/health-news/tiktok-morning-shed-benefits-risks#How-the-Morning-Shed-trend-may-affect-your-sleep-quality