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Dry mouth
#11
RE: Dry mouth
I thought a full face mask would be terrible because I was switched to one after several nights of horrendous dry mouth. I went for a long time trying to make that FFM quit leaking. It would leak into my eyes and wake me up. I would readjust it and eliminate the leaks and go back to sleep. 2 hours later I would repeat the process. I finally gave up and went back to the nasal mask. I tried to train myself to do the tongue seal and thought that I had perfected the technique. Then I found this forum. I had a Resmed S8 machine which requires a proprietary data card and data card reader. I found sources for both thanks to this forum and when I finally started looking at my data found that I had horrendous leaks most of the night. So much for training myself to do the tongue seal.

Tried a chin strap. No dice. Finally got a Mirage Quattro full face mask and was able to reduce the leaks to a reasonable level. Not too long ago I switched from a medium size to a small size, which is the right size for my face. Did this to aid in trying to control dry mouth. The medium was always pushing on my lower jaw towards opening.

Once I got through my adjustment period with my new, smaller Mirage Quattro my median leaks are always 0 and my 95% leak rate is quite low. I deo not have to readjust the headgear every night. I just put the mask on, fasten the lower straps, pull right and left on both sets of straps and lay down to go to sleep. After a while I will start to get a little leakage at my nose. I adjust it out with the nose bridge adjustment and then refit the strap tensions the next day.

The cushions do not require daily cleaning to prevent leaks although I do clean the skin on my face where the cushions touch nightly. In fact, sometimes I get lazy and do not clean the mask for quite a while. I just do not get leaks and I am a side sleeper although I do not try to bury my face in the pillow.

The short version of this is that the right full face mask is a lot better than I thought it would be based on my first experience with FFMs.

Full face masks may require more attention to getting the right mask and getting it fitted properly than others do and they do require more strap tension than other types of masks at the same pressure but they are actually quite good once one gets them squared away.

I will put my leakage rates up against anybodies. Not saying that mine are the best just that mine are in the same league with anyone with other types of masks and they stay that way with little effort.

Best Regards,

PaytonA

Admin Note:
PaytonA passed away in September 2017
Click HERE to read his Memorial Thread

~ Rest in Peace ~
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#12
RE: Dry mouth
(01-10-2015, 02:54 PM)Timotheus Wrote:
(12-12-2014, 09:48 AM)Peter_C Wrote: The cause is "mouth-breathing". Some can self-teach themselves to stop, some can't. After dealing with it for years, I finally gave up (kicking and screaming) and switched to a full face mask (FFM). Good luck to you.

I think I would be "kicking and screaming", too. But I will try everything to solve this before I go on to a FFM.
Sleep-well

The simplest solution would be to try a chin strap to help keep your mouth closed.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. 
ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA.
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#13
RE: Dry mouth
Absolutely!

Admin Note:
PaytonA passed away in September 2017
Click HERE to read his Memorial Thread

~ Rest in Peace ~
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#14
RE: Dry mouth
Quote:The simplest solution would be to try a chin strap to help keep your mouth closed.

The problem with chin straps is that they don't solve the issue of therapy air escaping orally for everyone. the reason is because there are three entities involved here, face, mask and lower jaw. all thee can move independently so that if the lower jaw drops down, the mask stays where it is allowing air to leak around the area of the chin. However, most masks tend to work their way upwards & this causes air leaks around the bridge of the nose as well as the chin. The bridge being narrower. It's obvious a chin strap is not going to help in this case. The answer is to tie the mask and chin together so they cannot move independently. This can be achieved with the use of two Velcro cable ties attached to the lower FFM straps. You can find directions are here.
[Image: signature.png]Keep on breathin'
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#15
RE: Dry mouth
The problem as I see it is this. Somewhere near the back of the tongue a seal is made that prevents the pressurized CPAP from escaping into the mouth. Let's call this seal a "valve" as it can be opened and closed. When that valve opens involuntarily during sleep, the pressurized CPAP air escapes rendering the CPAP therapy less effective.

What a FFM does is make the pressure the same on both sides of that valve, so it no longer matters if the valve is open or closed. This is the only solution to the problem for some of us.
Sleepster

INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#16
RE: Dry mouth
(01-11-2015, 05:07 PM)Sleepster Wrote: The problem as I see it is this. Somewhere near the back of the tongue a seal is made that prevents the pressurized CPAP from escaping into the mouth. Let's call this seal a "valve" as it can be opened and closed. When that valve opens involuntarily during sleep, the pressurized CPAP air escapes rendering the CPAP therapy less effective.

What a FFM does is make the pressure the same on both sides of that valve, so it no longer matters if the valve is open or closed. This is the only solution to the problem for some of us.

This thread has to do with dry mouth. I agree that the FFM does correct the therapeutic side of things but one can still get mouth leakage which can lead to dry mouth with a FFM. I have had this problem and it is due to the fact that we are not dealing with static pressure but dynamic pressure and flow. The pressure outside the mouth is not always the same as inside the mouth and if one can't keep the "valve" closed there will be some lip leakage and possibly ensuing dry mouth depending on the amount of leakage going on. Of course, any actual mask leakage may just exacerbate the problem.

Best Regards,

PaytonA

Admin Note:
PaytonA passed away in September 2017
Click HERE to read his Memorial Thread

~ Rest in Peace ~
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