Mouth tape for snoring and mild obstructive sleep apnea in adults
Tests silicone mouth tape during sleep in adults who snore or have mild sleep apnea.
Key facts
- Who runs it
- Johns Hopkins University
- Where
- Baltimore, United StatesSee the site
- Trial code
- Registry title
- Study to Examine the Effect of Silicone Mouth Tape on Snoring and Mild Sleep Apnea.
- Status
- Recruiting
- Phase
- Phase 2
- People taking part
- 100 people, planned
- Starts
- 1 Mar 2027
- Expected to end
- Oct 2030
- Type of study
- Interventional
- Treatments tested
- Mouth Tape
- Record updated
- 23 June 2026
Who can take part
AI summary
From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.
The trial is looking for adults who snore and have no sleep apnea or only mild sleep apnea. They need a bed partner who can answer questions about their snoring.
- Age
- 18 Years to 75 Years
- Sex
- All
- Disease stage
- Snoring with no sleep apnea, or mild obstructive sleep apnea (AHI under 15 events/hr) shown on an earlier sleep study. The record lists a body mass index of 35 kg/m2.
- Earlier treatment
- People who had surgery on the palate or tongue before cannot join.
- Biomarker or test result
- A prior sleep study showing AHI under 15 events/hr.
Main reasons for not taking part
- Allergy to silicone mouth tape
- Chronic lung disease, or any long-term or sudden shallow, too-slow breathing (hypoventilation)
- Very large tonsils (grade 3+ or 4+), or facial hair that stops the tape from being worn
- Not able to breathe through the nose with the tape on for at least 3 minutes
- Pregnancy
The registry criteria, word for word
Show all 6 criteriaShow less
Who can take part
- Adult patients with a body mass index of 35 kg/m2 with a self-reported history of snoring and a bed partner who can provider answers to about the patients snoring. Patients must have a prior sleep study that shows no sleep apnea, or mild sleep apnea (AHI under 15 events/hr)
Who cannot take part
- Grade 3+ or 4+ tonsils, prior palatal or tongue surgery
- Allergy to silicone mouth tape, chronic lung disease, facial hair preventing wearing of the tape
- Patients may not have any form of chronic or acute hypoventilation
- Patients must be able to tolerate breathing through their nose with the mouth tape in place for at least 3 minutes
- Patients may not be pregnant
Check if you might fit
Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.
- Are you between 18 and 75 years old?
Where in United States
- Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical CenterBaltimore, United StatesContact: Mariah PotockiTaking people
About the trial
What the trial wants to find out
Snoring is a common problem caused by vibration of tissues in the throat region during sleep. Although snoring is sometimes dismissed as a minor nuisance rather than a medical disorder, several studies indicate that snoring can disrupt sleep quality of the snorer, as well as the snorer's bed partner. Snoring also might lead to problems such as dry mouth, bad breath, dental problems, and even cardiovascular disease. Current treatments for snoring include lifestyle modifications such as weight loss, side-sleeping, and avoidance of evening alcohol intake. In some cases, invasive surgeries, dental devices, or even CPAP are recommended for snoring. These interventions have mixed effectiveness and may be difficult to use.
Read full original descriptionShow less
It may be possible to treat snoring by fostering nasal breathing, while avoiding mouth-breathing during sleep. Breathing through the mouth reduces the airway diameter and contributes to snoring. Several studies show that nasal breathing can reduce snoring volume and improve airflow. Recent studies have shown that covering the mouth during sleep with adhesive patches or tape can improve snoring volume without adverse effects. However, these studies were performed in a small number of patients and did not fully measure the impact of the intervention on sleep quality, sleep architecture, or the experience of the bed partner, who is often the overlooked "victim" of the snoring. In this interventional study, the investigators will examine the safety and efficacy of mouth tape for snoring, focusing on subjective and objective snoring/breathing metrics of both the snorer and bed partner.
Snoring is sometimes also a sign of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). If OSA is ruled out with a sleep study, patients are considered to have "simple" snoring. When OSA is mild (apnea hypopnea index 15), treatments can include the same interventions as snoring (e.g. weight loss, avoidance of alcohol, side-sleeping) or can be more aggressively treated with devices such as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). CPAP may be challenging to use, expensive, and associated with side effects such as mouth dryness and skin irritation. Alternative, inexpensive, and well-tolerated interventions are needed for mild OSA. For this reason, the investigators include patients with snoring and mild OSA in this study.
The group in the trial
- Simple snorers or Mild Sleep ApneaTreatment being tested
Patients with snoring and a prior sleep study showing an AHI \< 15.
Treatment: Mouth Tape
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations
Print a page for my doctorData and sources
- Registry record
- Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Official title
- Mouth Tape for Snoring and Sleep Apnea (MTASSA)
- Plain-language title
- Mouth tape for snoring and mild obstructive sleep apnea in adultsGenerated from the registry record. The registry title is the official one.
- AI summary
- From the trial's eligibility criteria. Read by machine on 14 November 2026.
- Fit questions
- Built from NCT06587256, who can take part
- Record updated
- 23 June 2026