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Mouth breathing
#1
Mouth breathing
I’ve come across reports that mouth breathing negates the benefit of PAP therapy - that mouth breathers must use a chin strap or mouth tape for PAP to be effective. Any thoughts people?
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#2
RE: Mouth breathing
(07-14-2021, 07:22 PM)BobbieM Wrote: I’ve come across reports that mouth breathing negates the benefit of PAP therapy - that mouth breathers must use a chin strap or mouth tape for PAP to be effective. Any thoughts people?

Absolutely can confirm. I'll let one of the experts chime in with a technical explanation. But, yes, mouth breathing unless you're using a full face mask isn't going to help.

Personally I use a chin strap and tape.
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#3
RE: Mouth breathing
Thanks. Good to know. Sometimes it’s hard to tell what’s credible research and what’s just personal opinions on the internet. I resist using mouth tape or chin straps because they are so uncomfortable. I suppose I had better get used to them.
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#4
RE: Mouth breathing
Totally understand. This forum is gold tho. I use a 3m micropore style tape. I cut 2 lengths and stick them together to create a wider piece. I continue the tape at least and inch or two beyond the lips to get a seal. Remember to purse your lips a bit before you apply.

 Just nose breathing freaked me out for a while, so I tried using tape during the day at home, played with lengths and found a comfy option, just so I didn't get annoyed in bed and have to get up and reapply. I let the tape do the seal, and use the chin strap just for support. I don't tighten that much at all. I 
also found using a nose spray helps clear the nose a bit.

Good luck! Stay safe your way too!
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#5
RE: Mouth breathing
Oh and regarding the machine. In laymen's terms as I understand. For the machine to operate properly and for you to receive any treatment, there has to be 100% seal. If you have air coming in your nose or mouth and then rushing straight out your mouth, then the machine won't be doing its job. Any readings you get will be skewed. If 
 you have Oscar. Then you'll see your leakage rates going bananas. That will be the tell tail sign.
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#6
RE: Mouth breathing
I'm a tried and true mouth-breather. I've tried breathing thru my nose, but it doesn't last long. I use a ResMed AirFit F30 FFM. It does a pretty good job. Far from perfect though.
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#7
RE: Mouth breathing
The choices are trying tape or chin strap and a nasal or pillows mask. Or the full face mask. Some like myself just can't make other masks than full face work. I'm mouth breathing continually. So I just use full face. My most recent and best mask so far is a Fisher and Paykel Vitera.
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#8
RE: Mouth breathing
(07-14-2021, 08:37 PM)Captain Howdy Wrote: With an edit suggested by 2SleepBetter: ". . . . If you have air coming in your nose or mouth and then rushing straight out your mouth" [suggested ediit addition: along with excessive leakage of  that pressurized air out through mask leaks] "then the machine won't be doing its job. Any readings you get will be skewed. If you have Oscar. Then you'll see your leakage rates going bananas. That will be the tell tail sign."

CH, I think you meant to indicate what I italicized and put (in bold faced font) into your quote.

Here are more links pertinent to the mouth breathing (MB) problem many of us have not been able to stop by training our tongues and jaws nor by chin straps. The links deal with forming multiply beneficial breathing habits, deal with an available device, Myotape (new to me), and the last linked page shows my dealing with MB and my solutions--cervical collar and Gel-E-Roll seal--as a still-incorrigible mouth breather when sleeping without MB prevention devices.

Others may wish to show recommended maximum levels of leaks for various machines. Some do fairly well up to about 25 liters per minute.

Ramifications of mouth breathing

Myotape may be enough for some

How this sleeping mouth breather solved his problem

In that last item I wrote of a driest-skinned lizard (my mouth breathing-dried tongue) not getting in, but should have said it didn't get into my mouth as often as it did before CPAP. I was soon breathing better with CPAP reduced obstructive sleep apnea.
I have no particular qualifications or expertise with respect to the apnea/cpap/sleep related content of my posts beyond my own user experiences and what I've learned from others on this site. Each of us bears the burden of evaluating the validity and applicability of what we read here before acting on it.  

Of my 3 once-needed, helpful, and adjunctive devices I have listed, only the accelerometer remains operative (but now idle). My second CMS50I died, too, of old age and the so-so Dreem 2 needs head-positioning band repair--if, indeed, Dreem even supports use of it now.



 
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#9
RE: Mouth breathing
Captain Howdy, as you know, what you said about lots of air going out your mouth is largely true for nasal and nasal pillows masks.
 
For full face masks users however, as you also probably know, that is mostly because of users' mouthbreathing or high lip leakages. 

Controlled lower level leaks up to 25 L/min are taken in stride fairly well by some, if not all, of our air pumps.

I'd have done better to make those  distinctions above.
I have no particular qualifications or expertise with respect to the apnea/cpap/sleep related content of my posts beyond my own user experiences and what I've learned from others on this site. Each of us bears the burden of evaluating the validity and applicability of what we read here before acting on it.  

Of my 3 once-needed, helpful, and adjunctive devices I have listed, only the accelerometer remains operative (but now idle). My second CMS50I died, too, of old age and the so-so Dreem 2 needs head-positioning band repair--if, indeed, Dreem even supports use of it now.



 
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#10
RE: Mouth breathing
I found that using a collar while beneficial for positional Apnea's for me trained me to keep my mouth closed as think must be the pressure on Chin/lower jaw, which makes much harder to then unintentionally open mouth by dropping Bottom jaw. Try holding hand up under bottom with only little pressure and find then unable open top jaw thus mouth ?  But any way that did work for me.
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