Excellent Replacement for Mouth Taping

rooster wrote:That mean old LinkC is calling my "Excellent Replacement" junk!

Sorry, it's the engineer in me! Let's not say "junk"...how about an "inelegant solution"!

But, if it works, that's the acid test! Carry on, sailor...

I recently saw the Mouthplug online and thought it would help with mouth venting. I really like my Swift Lt nasal mask, but sometimes my mouth comes open and I wake with an unbelievably dry mouth. It just so happens now is the time my insurance would pay for a new mask, so I got the Oracle today, the one that Dr. Norris of SLEEP APNEA AND TMJ OF NEVADA said on his website that he modified to make the Mouthplug. I tried using the Oracle as a mask for a few minutes and the problem that my therapist warned me of happened almost immediately - drooling, a lot. There is no way to swallow, and add the moisture from the machine and, well, yuck. Anyway, no matter, I just wanted it to try making the Mouthplug. I just got it today. I have been online looking for one way valves and saw this post also. There are some disposable one way valves for oxygen equipment that look promising, a snorkel purge valve, and the one found on CPR masks. However, by looking at the picture I know exactly what Dr. Norris used. The non-rebreathing valve Ozij mentioned, that the Oracle has at the other end of the narrow tube is what I see in the picture. It has a narrow half that fits perfectly in the mouthpiece, but this one-way valve works backwards from what is needed. From the picture, the narrow half has been cut off and the other half flipped around and shoved on that narrow end already pushed into the mouthpiece so it works the right way. Then all that is needed is to plug it's side vents with something (clear tape?) and you have the Mouthplug. I hesitate to cobble the mask valve to try it, since I just got it and I still have the option to trade it for another mask to try. I may look for other sources for the valve first. I will probably keep the Oracle for the modification. Once I do it I will post the results. Kind of an expensive solution unless you happen to have a spare Oracle mask laying around, but the dry mouth thing is hard to take.

Why would you do this instead of just using a full face mask?

I don't see any advantages (perhaps with the exception for those who grind their teeth at night.)

For me - I find the full-face mask a very comfortable - more comfortable then the nasal mask - and essential for me as a mouth breather.

Blisspirate wrote:.........
For me - I find the full-face mask a very comfortable - more comfortable then the nasal mask - and essential for me as a mouth breather.

I have the same experience as you - my Hybrid mask is more comfortable and more leakproof that the nasal masks I have tried.

But why would you make such a post and not tell us which brand/model of nasal mask you are using?

LoQ wrote:
But why would you make such a post and not tell us which brand/model of nasal mask you are using?

I have an old (6 yrs) Remstar Plus CPAP and a new Respironics ComfortGel Full mask.

Getting the right size FF mask was a big improvement for me - When I purchased my first one their fitting guide suggested a medium - the large works much better for me.

Guest wrote:

LoQ wrote:
But why would you make such a post and not tell us which brand/model of nasal mask you are using?

It was not me who said that!

I tried the Mouthplug. I was having trouble finding any other one-way valve anywhere and was unwilling to order one from somewhere and wait for it to arrive. As I mentioned, the non-rebreathing valve that comes with the Oracle at the end of the narrow tube looked like the one in the picture that the guy was wearing(not the one shown laying on the table, I'd like to find that valve, would have been easier), but needed modification. I am not a mouth breather except for the frequent occaison with the mouth venting that left me waking with the unbelievably dry mouth. I tried the Mirage liberty, but could not get it to work for me. It was too fining for one, and I could not get a good fit. I have a few whiskers that I am not gonna shave off that may have interfered with the seal, but I just could not get it to seal well without making it way too tight. Even if I did, if I just did a casual move of my head, the strap on the back of my head against the pillow would move from the weight of my head and cause the mask to unseal. I hated the flow of the air across my closed mouth on the way to my nose(pressure 14). As I said before, I really like my nose pillow mask, the Swift LT, not confining, comfortable, like I am not wearing anything. Anyway,I did the modification to the valve. I sawed off the narrow end, smoothed out the saw marks(800 grit wet/dry sandpaper worked well), and stuck the narrow end into the mouthpiece. The sawed off narrow end resembles a short clear tube about three quarters of an inch long. About a quarter inch is left sticking out. What remains is the valve. I flipped it around to face the right way to slide it on. It is a bit too large for the "tube", so several layers of clear tape allowed a snug fit. All that remained was the "side vents" on the valve. A layer of clear tape there did the trick. I have tried it for several nights. It works fine. At first my nose and mouth were a bit sore in the morning, but I had the masks a bit too tight. If I keep both masks just barely snug it works well. No more dry mouth. And I don't have to wear my occusal guard(grinding). There is a screw ring on the Oracle that tightens or looses the grip between the inner and outer flaps against the lips. Oracle would do well in selling this for this purpose, rather than having to get a whole mask and modify it. I would recommend everyone trying this.

I'm quoting and creating paragraphs to make things clearer:

anonymous40 wrote:Anyway,I did the modification to the valve.
I sawed off the narrow end, smoothed out the saw marks(800 grit wet/dry sandpaper worked well),
and stuck the narrow end into the mouthpiece.
The sawed off narrow end resembles a short clear tube about three quarters of an inch long. About a quarter inch is left sticking out. What remains is the valve.
I flipped it around to face the right way to slide it on. It is a bit too large for the "tube", so several layers of clear tape allowed a snug fit. All that remained was the "side vents" on the valve. A layer of clear tape there did the trick.

I have tried it for several nights. It works fine. At first my nose and mouth were a bit sore in the morning, but I had the masks a bit too tight. If I keep both masks just barely snug it works well. No more dry mouth. And I don't have to wear my occusal guard(grinding).

There is a screw ring on the Oracle that tightens or looses the grip between the inner and outer flaps against the lips. Oracle would do well in selling this for this purpose, rather than having to get a whole mask and modify it. I would recommend everyone trying this.

Anonymous40, thanks for posting the info. I'm not sure I get it - why did you close the valve's side vents?

O.

The side vents are taped during this modification so that the valve will work as a one way valve. Remember that the whole point of doing this is to have a Mouthplug, something that prevents mouth venting when a non-mouth breather uses a nasal mask, but wants to prevent the instance of mouth venting and the problems it causes. The Oracle mask lends itself well to this and simply needs a one way valve that prevents the mouth venting should it come open during the night, but still allows inhaling. If I could find a different one-way valve, a simple one, I only need to attach it. This particular valve is a more complicated thing, that I modified for lack of finding something else. It has these side vents. I think the side vents may be part of the exhalation system when using the mask as intended. Air from the machine goes thru this valve, thru the one-way flaps, bypasses the side vents and continues up the tube to the mask. Exhaled air is blocked by the one-way flaps and redirects it out the side vents. When used for this mod, they allow the very mouth venting I am trying to prevent by letting the pressurized air out thru those vents. In retrospect, the valve is in the same position/direction it was intended to be, but was modified as a means to attach it. By taping the side vents shut, it works as a simple one-way valve, becoming the Mouthplug. Again, if you are doing the mod and have found a one-way valve that you can make fit, this step would not be needed, just attach it. I hope to eventually find one. As a added thought to using the Mouthplug, I noticed that if I blow hard enough, I can dislodge the Mouthplug. This lends comfort to those concerned about emergency exhaling. By the way, I can sleep in any position with this set up. (Nasal mask is Swift LT)

Did anyone get an answer from Dr Norris, the one who posted this Mouthplug idea on his website in the first place? I am curious if he helped anyone by selling the plans/parts or anything?

Thank you, I got it.

O.

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johoma wrote:?

Dr. Giggles,

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Regards,