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A new TikTok trend in which people are encouraged to tape their mouths over their mouths before bed to lose weight is worrying doctors.
According to Dr. Raj Dasgupta, a sleep specialist at the University of Southern California, in the worst case scenario, covering your mouth could cause obstruction of breathing and suffocation.
This is worrisome especially for people who suffer from a pathology called obstructive sleep apnea, it could be very dangerous.
This disease can occur when relaxation of the muscles in a person’s throat while sleeping obstructs the airway, or when the brain does not properly send signals to the body to continue breathing.
Experts warn that clogging the mouth could further worsen the symptoms of sleep apnea.
The videos on TikTok assure that within its benefits this practice can forcing people to breathe through their nose only promotes fat loss
, improve airflow, relax the body, stop snoring and help people stay asleep.
Unfortunately, oral tamponade is the latest trend on TikTok that is increasing despite warnings from health professionals.
“
There is limited evidence on the benefits of mouth dressing and I would be very careful, and would even talk to your health care provider before trying it,” Dr. Dasgupta told CNBC.
Trends of false health advice on the networks are growing
Doctors recently warned against a similar viral trend called ‘vabbing,’ which involves smearing vaginal fluid behind the ears and neck.
According to videos of defenders on social media, doing this presumably increases the chance of attracting men by spreading their pheromones.
Some mouth tape users report having more energy in the hours after wakefulness as a result of improved sleep quality.
Experts fear that participate in the shop ance may harm the 12 millions of Americans who suffer from sleep apnea,
a condition in which breathing stops and resumes repeatedly during the night.
Covering your mouth is not a new practice, but it has become very popular on TikTok, where millions of users have published their experiences. Some videos have up to 675,12 likes and tag ‘cover your mouth’ has been seen more than 60 million times.
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