Sincerely tried but failed

[car54]

I use a Airfit F10 and I have been wanting to try a nasal pillow, but I am a mouth breather. I feel that the day will come when I am not able to wear the full mask for what ever reason . To be reactive I purchased a Nuance Pro which felt very comfortable but as I said I am a mouth breather. I then tried a Puresom ruby chinstrap and it helped some but not enough because my lips were not sealed. I tried raising the chinstrap to cover my lips and it helped a bit more but not enough. I tried it for 3 weeks.

I really would like to use the Nuance. Short of taping my lips or using denture sealants does anyone have a suggestion. I am thinking of making a chinstrap that covers my lips. Are there chinstraps like that out there?
Also I don't want to look like a mummy.

Thanks, Brad

[OpalRose]

Hi car54,
I use a chin strap off and on. For the most part it helps, but the only thing that has really made a difference is holding the tongue to the roof of your mouth trick. Well, I don't know if it's a trick, but seems to become a habit after awhile. To be honest, it took practice over a couple of months, but I can actually open my mouth now and no air escapes.
Practice holding your tongue to the roof of your mouth with tip of tongue close to your front teeth. It creates a seal and no air escapes.
Don't give up!

[car54]

I am able to do that but not all the time. My wife complains about the air rushing out of my mouth when I am not able to do it. The sleepyhead graphs also verify it.

[PollCat]

You may have to experiment with several chinstraps, until you find one that meets your needs. Luckily, they really do not cost a lot of money. Check out the chinstraps listed on Supplier #1's website.

[retired_guy]

It is not about keeping your lips tightly sealed.

It is not about a chinstrap set up so securely that it can keep your lips tightly sealed.

It is about gentleness. It is about encouraging your jaw to stay forward, which then creates a scenario in which the tongue finds a natural resting place on the roof of your mouth. That's what makes the seal.

If the chinstrap is tightened too much it will encourage the jaw to pull back rather than stay forward. That's just the opposite of what you want to achieve. If it's way too tight, you'll know it, because you will wake up in great pain.

When you put on your chinstrap, if you cannot easily open your mouth, speak, breath, drink, kiss, or whatever; the chinstrap is too tight.

[WSHenry]

Hi,

I tried chinstraps and a mouth guard. Both were uncomfortable. I had better success with "training" my tongue to stay up against the roof of my mouth. This took several months, but is now working for me.

When you get the hang of it, your leak rates will drop from what you typically experiences with a full face mask.

Best wishes for productive sleep!

[DariaVader]

the tongue trick works even if your mouth falls open a little, once you get the hang of it...

[Mr. Van Winkle]

I agree with all other's to train your tongue, It can and will take time, but once you do you will notice when the air is leaking out of your mouth right away. And after a few months it should be a no brainer.
I guess as a last resort you could look into some type of an oral device ?
I've wondered if those really work?

[Easy Breathy]

RE: failed first attempt, trying again
I had a terrible time with my cpap machine because my mouth would drop open when I slept, make the mask leak and wake me up many times a night. I tried 4 different masks, 2 different chin straps and taping my mouth shut. The tape is the only thing that worked but removing it made my skin sore. I quit using my machine for several months until I learned that sleep apnea is dangerous and progressive. I have piled up quite a sleep deficit but I understand that it can be paid back although it may take several weeks of good sleep. So, I tried again with my cpap about a week ago.

My solution is to sleep in a recliner and use an athletic type, one-piece head band without much stretch as a chin strap. I put it on over the headgear, straps etc. before I attach the tubing. So far so good with both the Phillips Wisp and ResMed Quattro FX for Her. I will also try it with the new Phillips Amara View which is the last mask I bought.

The one drawback is that it is not a pretty sight but then I don't thinks that any of the masks, straps etc. are pretty even without chin straps. Hope this helps someone else. I'll do my best to answer any questions. Good luck!

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

When I first started I would wake up with Dizzy Gillespie cheeks. Your mind will subconsciously change as you sleep and you will learn to keep your mouth closed. Just takes time.