Woken by dry mouth

[Starpilot]

Hello again,

So I have been taping and it has made a big difference, although its a bit uncomfortable so I may try getting a chin strap. I also set my minimum pressure to 13 and turned the ramp back on. I had a couple really good nights like that but am really tired again today.

One thing that has woken me up one or two times a night has been dry mouth. Like...bone dry parched-ness. When I wake up my salivary glands activate and fix the problem without me having to get up but its very uncomfortable and of course I want to eliminate anything that's waking me up.

Any ideas? I have the climate turned up to 85. I am also using a night guard.

Thanks!

[Julie]

Try a FF mask.

[SMenasco]

I had the same problem. Had severe dry mouth. I taped for some time. It worked, but I got sick of the tape. Ruby red chin strap fairly tight put on over the mask headgear. No more problems with leaks or dry mouth. Something you might consider.

[TheUglyTruth]

Hello again,

So I have been taping and it has made a big difference, although its a bit uncomfortable so I may try getting a chin strap. I also set my minimum pressure to 13 and turned the ramp back on. I had a couple really good nights like that but am really tired again today.

One thing that has woken me up one or two times a night has been dry mouth. Like...bone dry parched-ness. When I wake up my salivary glands activate and fix the problem without me having to get up but its very uncomfortable and of course I want to eliminate anything that's waking me up.

Any ideas? I have the climate turned up to 85. I am also using a night guard.

Thanks!

Tonight try putting the tape on the OUTSIDE of your mouth.

[Wulfman...]

Too much humidity can cause nasal congestion, which can result in mouth-breathing, which WILL result in "dry mouth".

Try turning the humidity setting DOWN or Off.

And/or get a full face mask as Julie suggested.


Den

.

[Todzo]

Hello again,

So I have been taping and it has made a big difference, although its a bit uncomfortable so I may try getting a chin strap. I also set my minimum pressure to 13 and turned the ramp back on. I had a couple really good nights like that but am really tired again today.

One thing that has woken me up one or two times a night has been dry mouth. Like...bone dry parched-ness. When I wake up my salivary glands activate and fix the problem without me having to get up but its very uncomfortable and of course I want to eliminate anything that's waking me up.

Any ideas? I have the climate turned up to 85. I am also using a night guard.

Thanks!

so the dry mouth is occuring with the mouth taped?

[Starpilot]

Yes, the dry mouth occurs with my mouth taped. On the outside. (Thanks, UglyTruth... )

Thanks for all the suggestions. I am thinking of looking at a full face mask but I just ordered a new mask so it will be awhile. The chin strap sounds like something I could try right away, in addition to lowering the humidity. Funny enough, I actually turned the humidity UP because I thought it would help with the dry mouth!

I'll try turning the humidity way down tonight.

[Pugsy]

If your tape is still in place on your lips in the AM...then you aren't mouth breathing and mouth breathing can't be the cause of the dry mouth if you aren't doing it.

Now maybe some air is entering the mouth via the back door to the airway because the tongue is dropping down and maybe circulating in the mouth somewhat and maybe that has a drying again but most of the time when that happens people also complain of chipmunk cheeks.

Be careful with reducing your humidity dramatically all at once. Your nasal mucosa may throw a screaming hissy fit. I know because I did just what Wulfman suggested and had horrible results....he's ears should have been burning big time over that one This was back when I first started therapy....dropped from a setting of 3 to 1...it took me 3 days for my nasal mucosa to forgive me and get back to normal and it was a miserable 3 days at that.

Dry mouth can be caused from a lot of things...and sometimes just happen with no known cause.
Do you take any meds of any kind?
Does your mouth tend to be dry during the day?

Full face masks don't necessarily fix dry mouth. Just read up on all the complaints of dry mouth from full face mask users.
What a full face mask does is prevent loss of therapy pressure if you are mouth breathing.
But if you want to try a full face mask...just to try it and/or to avoid having to do the tape thing each night, which I know can be a PITA because I did it for about 2 months when I first started therapy....send me a private message and we can discuss what I might have that might interest you and might fit. That way you wouldn't have to fork over the money yourself or use up your insurance allowance for something you might not like well enough to use it all the time.
If it doesn't work out....you can pass it on to someone else on the forum who might want to try it or if it works out you can just keep it.
I don't have a huge selection of complete full face masks but I have a few.

[library lady]

Even with my FF mask, I have a dry mouth.... but after 3-1/2 months, I've learned that either I don't have much of a dry mouth anymore, or I've gotten so used to it that I don't notice it. I do keep a covered mug of water with a straw near the bed so that if need be I can pull the elbow off the mask, sip some water, pop the elbow back on and go back to sleep. I have found that I don't need to drink mid-way through the night nearly as often as I once did, nor right away in the morning. I think the dry mouth thing is just another of the adjustments our bodies have to make in adapting to cpap use.

[Juanefny]

I do keep a covered mug of water with a straw near the bed so that if need be I can pull the elbow off the mask, sip some water, pop the elbow back on and go back to sleep. I have found that I don't need to drink mid-way through the night nearly as often as I once did, nor right away in the morning.

Great idea of the night!!!!

[Stevoreno_55]

If your tape is still in place on your lips in the AM...then you aren't mouth breathing and mouth breathing can't be the cause of the dry mouth if you aren't doing it.

Now maybe some air is entering the mouth via the back door to the airway because the tongue is dropping down and maybe circulating in the mouth somewhat and maybe that has a drying again but most of the time when that happens people also complain of chipmunk cheeks.

Be careful with reducing your humidity dramatically all at once. Your nasal mucosa may throw a screaming hissy fit. I know because I did just what Wulfman suggested and had horrible results....he's ears should have been burning big time over that one This was back when I first started therapy....dropped from a setting of 3 to 1...it took me 3 days for my nasal mucosa to forgive me and get back to normal and it was a miserable 3 days at that.

Dry mouth can be caused from a lot of things...and sometimes just happen with no known cause.
Do you take any meds of any kind?
Does your mouth tend to be dry during the day?

Full face masks don't necessarily fix dry mouth. Just read up on all the complaints of dry mouth from full face mask users.
What a full face mask does is prevent loss of therapy pressure if you are mouth breathing.
But if you want to try a full face mask...just to try it and/or to avoid having to do the tape thing each night, which I know can be a PITA because I did it for about 2 months when I first started therapy....send me a private message and we can discuss what I might have that might interest you and might fit. That way you wouldn't have to fork over the money yourself or use up your insurance allowance for something you might not like well enough to use it all the time.
If it doesn't work out....you can pass it on to someone else on the forum who might want to try it or if it works out you can just keep it.
I don't have a huge selection of complete full face masks but I have a few.

Taking Claritin once a day and Metformin once a day always seems to dry my mouth. I've tried Biotene rinse but it hasn't helped that much.


Stevoreno_55
04/28/14

[Todzo]

Yes, the dry mouth occurs with my mouth taped.

I am not surprised.

I do not mouth breath but I have experienced dry mouth while using CPAP.

It seems to only happen when I over breath. Apparently the blood gas changes reduce circulation (carbon dioxide is a wonderful vasodilator so the lack of it produces the opposite effect). So apparently with less circulation the salivary glands tend to shut down and the mouth dries.

Many times I have noticed dry mouth with my mouth shut. The breathing level would be high. I would use eucapnic breathing techniques to bring the carbon dioxide levels back up and the mouth would become wet again.

I suppose that stress hormones play a part in this as well. With over breathing respiratory effort related arousal events are likely. As well I have noted that over breathing tends to stuff up my nose and so I suppose obstructive events become more likely as well.

[Stormynights]

I was told to never have the temp over 80. It does make a difference.

[TheUglyTruth]

Yes, the dry mouth occurs with my mouth taped. On the outside. (Thanks, UglyTruth... )

Glad you have a good sense of humor. Many here do not.

Best wishes that everything works out just ducky for you real soon.

[Sir NoddinOff]

That's interesting Todzo. Just kind of a side question: I get a bit of dry mouth most every night from my FFM. When I wake up I find it's never really painful, just kind of annoying and uncomfortable. I can extract some saliva if I move my tongue around for ten seconds or so, however I wonder if that qualifies as a negative case of 'dry mouth'. Yes, I have my humidifier cranked up in 'classic mode' to 4 on my PR machine. I don't use Biotene or anything. I've also heard that dry mouth can lead to gum and dental problems? Any truth in that?