Written from firsthand experience with a deviated septum and checked against clinical sources. We make Ventriq Nasal Strips, so we are always upfront that a strip relieves symptoms rather than fixing the structural problem. Read our methodology or our editorial policy.
Our number one pick for mouth breathers: the Ventriq Sleep Nasal Strips. If your mouth falls open at night because your nose cannot keep up, a firm strip makes nasal breathing easy enough that your body stops reaching for the backup route. It is the one I make and the one I use.
Yes, nasal strips can help mouth breathers, but only when the nose is the reason you breathe through your mouth. If your nasal valve is narrow, your septum is deviated or your nose blocks up at night, a strip widens the front of the airway so nose breathing takes less effort and your mouth has less reason to fall open. If your mouth opens out of habit or because your jaw drops when you sleep, a strip on its own will not close it. Our number one pick is the Ventriq Sleep Nasal Strips, and Breathe Right Extra Strength is a fair alternative.
I make Ventriq, so take my ranking with that in mind. I was also a mouth breather for years without realising it. Ten years of rugby left my septum bent and my nose probably broken more than once. A consultant otolaryngologist in Dublin recommended septorhinoplasty, and I put it off so I could keep playing. In the meantime I woke up most mornings with a mouth like sandpaper and a sore throat, and my partner told me I slept with my mouth hanging open. My nose simply could not move enough air, so my body took the easier path. Fixing that, without surgery for now, is the reason Ventriq exists.
Why You Breathe Through Your Mouth at Night
Your body always picks the path of least resistance. When breathing through the nose takes too much effort, the jaw relaxes and air goes in through the mouth instead. During the day you can override that. Asleep, you cannot. The common reasons the nose loses out are:
- A narrow or collapsing nasal valve. The internal nasal valve, about a centimetre inside each nostril, is the tightest point of the airway. In some noses the side walls are soft and get sucked inward on a strong breath in.
- A deviated septum. A bent septum crowds one side, and when the nasal cycle swells the other side, there is very little room left on either.
- Mucosal swelling. Colds, hay fever and dust allergies inflame the lining, and lying flat makes it worse.
- Habit and jaw position. Some people keep breathing through the mouth long after the original blockage is gone, or their jaw simply drops open when the muscles relax.
Working out which of these applies to you decides whether a strip will help. A simple test: close your mouth and breathe in hard through your nose. If one or both sides of your nose pinch inward, or you feel starved of air, your nose is a big part of the problem.
What a Nasal Strip Does for a Mouth Breather
An external strip is a springy band that sticks across the flared part of the nose. As it tries to flatten, it lifts the side walls outward and holds the nasal valve open. That lowers the resistance of each breath through the nose, which is exactly the thing that pushes people into mouth breathing.
What it does not do is hold your mouth shut, clear mucus, or change your septum. Think of it as removing the reason to mouth breathe rather than forcing you not to. For many people with a nose problem, that is enough. For a habit mouth breather with a clear nose, it is not. I cover the habit side and the tape question further down.
The Best Options for Mouth Breathers, Compared
| Option | How it works | Helps if your nose is the cause | Helps if it is habit | Main drawback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ventriq Sleep Nasal Strips | Firm external lift on the nasal valve | Yes | Partly, by making nose breathing easier | Posted from Ireland, not on a shop shelf |
| Breathe Right Extra Strength | External lift, widely sold | Yes | Partly | Some people find the edges lift by morning |
| Internal dilators such as Mute or AIRMAX | Soft cones or stents inside the nostrils | Yes, if sized right | Partly | Can feel odd and need cleaning daily |
| Mouth tape | Holds the lips closed | No, can make things worse | Yes, if the nose is clear | Only safe when the nose breathes freely |
| Chin strap | Supports the jaw from below | No | Sometimes | Many people find it hot and uncomfortable |
1. Ventriq Sleep Nasal Strips: Our Number One Pick
The Ventriq Sleep Nasal Strips are built for the exact situation I was in: a nose that technically works but needs too much effort, so the mouth takes over sometime after midnight. The band is set firm, because a soft strip on a narrow or deviated nose does very little. The adhesive is meant to hold through a full night of turning over, which matters because a strip that peels off at 2am just hands the job back to your mouth.
The first change I noticed was not dramatic. I just stopped waking with a dry mouth and a scratchy throat. That told me my mouth was staying closed for more of the night, which is the whole point. If you train as well, the Ventriq Sport Nasal Strips use a sweat resistant adhesive so you can practise nasal breathing during exercise too.
Where it falls short: it will not stop habit mouth breathing on its own, and it does not correct a deviated septum. It relieves the restriction while you wear it.
2. Breathe Right Extra Strength
Breathe Right is the brand most people have heard of, and the Extra Strength version is a genuinely decent strip. It is easy to find in pharmacies and supermarkets, which makes it the obvious way to test whether opening your nose changes your mouth breathing at all. If it helps, you know the nose is involved.
On my own nose, the pull felt lighter and the edges tended to lift by morning, which meant waking up mouth breathing again. Your nose may well be different. I set them side by side in Ventriq vs Breathe Right.
3. Internal Dilators
Internal cones and stents such as Mute and AIRMAX push the nostrils open from the inside. They are a good choice if your skin reacts to adhesive, and some people with very soft nostril walls prefer them. The downsides are sizing, the feeling of something sitting in your nose, and daily cleaning. They also act a little lower in the nose than an external strip. I explain where each type works in internal vs external nasal dilators.
4. Mouth Tape and Chin Straps: Use With Care
Mouth tape gets a lot of attention online, and I understand why. If your nose is clear and you mouth breathe out of habit, gentle tape can retrain you. But tape assumes your nose works. If you tape your mouth shut over a narrow or blocked nose, you are just making breathing harder. My view is simple: open the nose first, then decide whether you still need tape. I go through it properly in nasal strips vs mouth tape.
Chin straps support the jaw instead of sealing the lips. Some people find them useful, many find them hot and awkward. Like tape, they do nothing for a nose that cannot move enough air.
How to Stop Mouth Breathing at Night: A Sensible Order
- Check your nose first. Do the breathe in hard test above. If your nostrils pinch, a strip is the logical first step.
- Try a strip for two weeks. One night tells you little. Look for fewer dry mouth mornings and a less sore throat.
- Place it right. Clean, dry skin, sitting on the flared part of the nose just above the nostrils, not up on the bone. The guide on how to choose the right nasal strip shows where it should sit.
- Practise nose breathing in the day. Habit is built awake. Keeping your lips closed at your desk and on easy runs helps it carry over to sleep.
- Only then consider tape, and only if your nose breathes freely with the strip on.
For the bigger picture on why nose breathing matters at night, see the complete guide to nasal breathing and better sleep.
When Mouth Breathing Needs a Doctor
A strip is a comfort product. It does not treat sleep apnoea, and mouth breathing is sometimes a sign of something that needs proper attention. Please speak to your GP or a pharmacist if:
- You snore loudly and someone has seen you stop breathing, gasp or choke during sleep
- You are exhausted during the day despite a full night in bed
- One side of your nose is blocked all the time and never clears
- You have nosebleeds, facial pain or a lost sense of smell
If the blockage is structural, an ENT can tell you whether septoplasty or septorhinoplasty is worth considering. I describe my own route in how to sleep better with a deviated septum.
The Bottom Line
Most adults who mouth breathe at night do it because their nose makes them, and that is the case a strip is built for. Widen the nasal valve, and the mouth often stays shut on its own. Our number one pick is the Ventriq Sleep Nasal Strips, with Breathe Right Extra Strength as a reasonable shop shelf option. If your nose is clear and the habit remains, add daytime practice before you reach for tape. For every strip ranked side by side, see our honest roundup of the best nasal strips.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do nasal strips help with mouth breathing?
They help when a narrow or blocked nose is the reason you breathe through your mouth. A strip widens the nasal valve so nose breathing takes less effort. It does not physically hold your mouth closed, so it will not stop pure habit mouth breathing on its own.
What is the best nasal strip for mouth breathers?
Our number one pick is the Ventriq Sleep Nasal Strips, which I make, because the band is firm and the adhesive is designed to hold for a full night. Breathe Right Extra Strength is a fair alternative that is easy to buy in most pharmacies.
Should I use mouth tape or a nasal strip?
Start with the nose. If your nose is narrow or blocked, taping your mouth shut makes breathing harder. A strip opens the nose first. Tape only makes sense if your nose breathes freely and you still mouth breathe out of habit.
How do I know if my nose is causing my mouth breathing?
Close your mouth and breathe in hard through your nose. If the sides of your nose pinch inward or you feel short of air, your nasal valve is likely part of the problem. Constant one sided blockage is worth getting checked by a GP or ENT.
Will nasal strips stop a dry mouth in the morning?
If your dry mouth comes from breathing through your mouth at night because your nose is restricted, a strip can mean fewer dry mornings. It will not help a dry mouth caused by medication or other conditions, which is a question for your pharmacist.
Can a nasal strip fix mouth breathing caused by a deviated septum?
It can ease the restriction at the nasal valve while you wear it, which often reduces mouth breathing. It does not straighten the septum. Only surgery such as septoplasty or septorhinoplasty corrects the structure.
Try Ventriq Sleep Nasal Strips and give your nose a fair chance to do its job at night, or if you want to train with your mouth closed, take a look at the Ventriq Sport Nasal Strips.
