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Taping around the mouth: Does it work?
#11
RE: Taping around the mouth: Does it work?
@drmaestro

I have been experimenting with partial mouth taping since about 24 April with consistently lower leaks with my N30i or P30i.

This gives you an idea of what it looks like:
[attachment=23242]
These are my results so far in terms of mouth leaking:
[attachment=23241]

One bad leak night due to not inverting lips enough with a too wide gap.
I use 3M Tan paper tape, first make the tape less sticky by applying to forehead.
Fold the outside edges over so I can easily remove it in the morning.
Then on the inside I tape narrower tape, non sticky side to my lips, that way they don't get damaged.
I first invert the lips, then apply tape to each side.
I leave 20 mm to 30 mm open in the middle: I am experimenting with this at the moment, but important to invert the lips first. Kind of acts like a one way valve/pressure regulator.
(I find if don't have this "vent" in the middle then I wake up with headaches, thick head, pounding heart etc.)(CO2 again?)
This way if I need to sigh or take a deep breath in during a pit stop I can easily invert my lips further and still breathe in through the vent.
Also, when I get up at night I can drink water through a straw.

I also use a Scunci over the mouth to further dampen the sound of any leaks, like a silencer or muffler.
The things we get up to to get some good sleep!

In the meantime I am working hard on my oropharyngeal exercises...who knows maybe I can ditch the tape sometime soon.

@Dormeo
Yes, I have a box of Somnifix, tried it one night, not a good night. My mouth is too wide, air leaks around the corners.
The hole in the middle of the Somnifix is the vent, and it certainly is easier to remove in the morning than paper tape. I might try this again and just tape up the corners...

@Crowtor, hmm the Bandaid sounds good, it has some breathability/permeability which may be just what I am looking for, good idea. How hard is it to remove? Also worth a try!
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#12
RE: Taping around the mouth: Does it work?
Last night I have tried blue painter's tape for full taping. I don't think it is ideal or for this purpose but it was all I had and I have seen some people mentioning it so I thought I could give it a try. I didn't really need to make tabs on the sides because it doesn't fully stick at these areas. I also used a night camera to record my sleep so that I can see the tape's fate. I went to bed around 2.00 a.m. The tape stayed in place until 4.00-4.15 a.m, then the part holding my chin (lower part) slowly dislocated and my mouth started to open (and I also started to hear audible snores on the camera record). I removed the tape at around 6.00 a.m. This tape is probably not very useful. Also, I experienced some weird sensations due to tape. While the tape was in place and my jaw was trying to fall down (because the muscle tone was decreasing) my lips weren't opening but there was an increase in the volume of my oral cavity, and it seems it resulted some air being deviated from my nasopharynx to fill my mouth. It was weird, because my cheeks were inflating and I couldn't exhale that air, so it was a little bit disturbing. That could be the reason for having a vent or partial taping. Also, I felt a little bit less rested in the morning. I'll try partial taping, I assume it can help with the air without resulting in snoring.
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#13
RE: Taping around the mouth: Does it work?
You experienced what we call "chipmunk cheeks," named after a small woodland animal that stuffs food into its cheeks until they are distended. A good way to prevent this is to position your tongue so that air will not move into your oral cavity. It takes some practice (daytime practice helps) but is probably worth it. And to keep your jaw from dropping, you might try a soft cervical collar.

Tongue position: place the tip of your tongue behind your top front teeth and allow your tongue to take up all the space between the upper teeth on the right and the left. Press your tongue up against the roof of your mouth, then swallow or suck a little to create a little seal. Once your tongue is in this position, you can open your mouth but be unable to breathe in any way except through your nose. Try it!
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#14
RE: Taping around the mouth: Does it work?
(05-25-2020, 10:11 AM)Dormeo Wrote: You experienced what we call "chipmunk cheeks," named after a small woodland animal that stuffs food into its cheeks until they are distended.  A good way to prevent this is to position your tongue so that air will not move into your oral cavity.  It takes some practice (daytime practice helps) but is probably worth it.  And to keep your jaw from dropping, you might try a soft cervical collar.

Tongue position: place the tip of your tongue behind your top front teeth and allow your tongue to take up all the space between the upper teeth on the right and the left.  Press your tongue up against the roof of your mouth, then swallow or suck a little to create a little seal.  Once your tongue is in this position, you can open your mouth but be unable to breathe in any way except through your nose.  Try it!

Very interesting maneuver. It does work, however will I able to hold it while sleeping?
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#15
RE: Taping around the mouth: Does it work?
It's a strange thing, but if you do this a lot during the day for a while, and put your tongue in position whenever you fall asleep, there's a good chance it'll just become habitual. It has for me -- with occasional lapses -- and I've read many posts from other people saying it's habitual for them.
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#16
RE: Taping around the mouth: Does it work?
Hi,

I have tried partial mouth taping yesterday. I used the 3M micropure tape which apparently is very good for this purpose. It stayed in place the entire night and was also comfortable to remove in the morning. My sonre score (using Snorelab) went to 4 from 38, which means taping definitely works to preventi snoring. I didn't have the chipmunk effect, as I was able to vent out if there was a need to. This is also the problem with parital taping: Your mouth can still open, partially, and I sensed air coming out of my lips like a whistle a few times during my sleep. Also, there was a sensation of dry mouth localized to the middle portion of my mouth and throat, probably due to the air stream during whistling periods. I also tried a chin strap but didn't like it and wasn't able to put it in place so that it could hold my chin completely closed. I may try full taping again or maybe try a variaton of partial taping, where I'll leave open a section not in the middle but closer to the sides. I feel like the middle portion of the lips is easier to leak compared to the side, where it requires more effort.
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#17
RE: Taping around the mouth: Does it work?
Sounds like you're on a good track. Of course, you can track your progress via Oscar. Did you ever try a soft cervical collar to keep your chin up? If you practice the tongue placement during the day for a while, it might be worth seeing whether you can tape fully without getting chipmunk cheeks. Good luck with this!
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#18
RE: Taping around the mouth: Does it work?
I have bought a soft cervical collar (Carex) but I haven't been able to wear it. It is quite hard, and keeps my neck too warm, so I can't wear it more than a few minutes, and it isn't comfortable when I am lying down, as it interferes with the pillow. I feel that if I wear it for a long period, I'll wake up with neck pain. Are there any suggestions for a better brand or type?
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#19
RE: Taping around the mouth: Does it work?
Search for "The Eliminator Sleep Pillow"
like any of these you will need to get used to it, but the back is a strap, so no support in the back.
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#20
RE: Taping around the mouth: Does it work?
I’m full taping my mouth for +5 years now and never had big problems with that method. I use the mefix tape of 5 cm. I cut a piece of 15 cm of it and put it horizontal on my mouth (make sure you make a fold at a corner for easy removal). The reason I started mouth taping was a terrible dry mouth and leaking when on CPAP.
I'm combining it with a chin strap for exactly the same reason you call "chipmunk cheeks" or bloating of the cheeks. Recently I’m adding an cervical collar to my routine with good results. I’m always trying to figure out why I’m so an stubborn mouth breather, I probably have dream disturbed sleep with bruxism. I never managed to control my tongue position(anatomically?). Sometimes the tape gets so wet it starts to loosen at night. You can only use the tape once and I advise you to clean your face with soap or a cleaning lotion before sticking the tape on your mouth. Make sure your face is dry. Never stop trying to figure out what is working for you, good success!
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