Headrest and teeth pain

[rosacer]

Hi

I have been having pain on two of the front teeth since last November. I even had a root canal in one of those and the pain still continue.

After the root canal, I thought the pain was produced by the hard surface of my buckwheat pillow because I'm a side sleeper. I changed pillow, then the pain diminished but was still there.

Some days ago the pain was increasing again so I decided to try another mask. I toke back my Swift FX and surprise the pain is almost gone (same thing happened when I used the Activa for one week, no pain at all). On top of that last night I tried the buckwheat pillow again and this morning I have almost no pain at all.

It seems to be the Headrest the cause of the pain, WHY? I like the Headrest, it gives me a perfect seal and my AHI is almost always lower than 1. The Swift FX makes leaks and wakes me up several times because of that. I really would like to find the way to continue using my Headrest, I have a couple of spare Headrest and cushions and that mask doesn't make marks on my face. I need to say I use the Headrest as is without any modification (I have a big head ) I use the large pillows because I found the medium were a bit too small and fit too deep inside my nostrils.

PLEASE: some one has any suggestion, comment, about this matter? Those who have transformed their Headrest, do you have tooth pain or leaks ? HELP I'm ready to transform mine if that's the solution.

[Hawthorne]

I am using the Headrest right now. I was going to do some "lab ratting" but it works very well for me as is. The only thing I did do was to put moleskin on that piece that goes on top of my head (the rubber nubbed part) and I wrapped more moleskin around the rubber strap on each side - only the part of the strap that touches my head at each side.

I have not had any problem with it causing teeth pain. In fact, I felt pressure on my upper lip and front teeth with the Swift FX when I used that mask. Have not had that with the Headrest. I also use the Large pillows with the Headrest.

I know that may not help but it's my experience with the Headrest.

[harry33]

tooth pain can be caused by jaw clenching or tooth grinding when asleep, these are common conditions

[rosacer]

Thanks Hawthorne, sure it help to know you don't have problems with the Headrest. I wonder if some other Headrest users have or not problems and what they had done to solve it. For how long have you been using the Headrest? I had no problems for around 8 months.

Thanks for the remark Harry33, I already thought at the possibility of tooth grinding. I had made a teeth guard by the dentist and the pain was really worst when I used it. Then I had the root canal and the resurfacing of the tooth changed its dimension, I stopped using that guard. Then I bought sports guards and I tried those too without success.

[Hawthorne]

I have only been using the Headrest for a few weeks now so, who knows, I may have problems later. Hope not - I like it.

[Sireneh]

I had some very mysterious tooth pain a few years ago. My dentist attributed it to pain that was actually coming from another tooth further back, which I was feeling as though it was in an entirely different tooth. Sounds really strange but I guess it happens sometimes. He replaced the filling in the tooth further back and that was the end of that.

It seems like a less likely case for you since it is BOTH your front teeth, but I thought I'd mention in just in case. Hope you get it sorted out soon!

[Country4ever]

When I started using cpap and wearing a Swift original nasal pillow, I felt like my was moving my upper front teeth. The dentist said it was definitely possible, since it almost functions like that external head appliance you see some people wearing. I seemed to get over it though. I added a 2" band of elastic around the bottom of the headgear and it stabilized the mask more and maybe I didn't need to keep the nasal pillow so tight.

Have you tried Sensodyne toothpaste? I found that I was having alot of teeth pain, but it went away when I began using Sensodyne all the time.
Sinus problems can also cause tooth pain.......the upper teeth.
Some of us seem to have a nervous system on overdrive and feel pain more.
But try the sensodyne.

[Hawthorne]

Might work. I use Sensodyne toothpaste all the time because of sensitive teeth. I have been using it for longer (years longer) than I have been using the Headrest mask.

[rosacer]

Thanks Sireneh. I have root canal in both tooth (the front right and the one beside at right too, very extrange!), the second was done because of the mysterious pain and it was driving the dentist crazy , she reopened it and made the root canal deeper still, no change

Hawthorne: I wish you well success with the Headrest and no pain whatsoever.

Thanks Country4ever:

Have you tried Sensodyne toothpaste? I found that I was having alot of teeth pain, but it went away when I began using Sensodyne all the time.
Sinus problems can also cause tooth pain.......the upper teeth.
Some of us seem to have a nervous system on overdrive and feel pain more.
But try the sensodyne.

I have been using a tooth paste similar to Sensodine (similar ingredients), no real change.
I use every day a cortisone spray for my rhinitis, my sinuses are not too swollen at all.
YES I have a nervous system very sensitive, I can feel pain very easily

It's really interesting you states you had tooth pain while using the Swift and when you loosened it the pain disappeared.

Maybe my Headrest is too tight, and by the way it was adjusted more tight than the Swift FX I have been using this last 3 days. Even using the Activa (which definitely pushes all the front teeth back) I had pain release while I tried one month ago. Yes it could be a nerves problem, I will try to loosen the Headrest or do something to keep it from squeezing my nose (and nerves?) and I"ll see.

I'm waiting for a ZZZMask FFM in a couple of weeks (it's in the mail), if I succeed to use it this could give a break to whatever is getting irritated because of the nasal pillows and then I can try them again.

Thanks ladies, your experiences can help others which are having tooth pain, it's not nice to have a root canal which is not really necessary.

If somebody else have had tooth pain and been able to find the solution it would be very appreciated to hear about your experience, thanks.

[CollegeGirl]

I had similar pain from the headrest, and it was starting to move my front teeth. I also started to grind my teeth post-cpap. My dentist gave me a mouthguard for my UPPER teeth (usually they do lower, apparently) and now no more teeth moving and no more pain.

[rosacer]

Thanks CollegeGirl. Do you use the Headrest as it is or did you modified it? Do you still use the Headrest, now with the mouth guard? I'm wondering if the Headrest modified (no blue head's part and plastic) produce the tooth pain.

As far as I remember I never grinded the teeth before CPAP, bummer

That would be very interesting to hear from the friends here who use the Headrest modified.

[DreamDiver]

I hope you'll like the zzz full face. It seems to be getting more popular. I had a similar problem when I was trying out the liberty ff. It felt like someone had taken a hammer to my upper front teeth even during the day. It might have something to do with constant pressure all night on teeth that are supposed to be in an established position, as others have suggested earlier. I did not have the same problem with the very similar hybrid ff. And the zzz ff has no such pressure pushing against the upper lip, though you may experience some pressure on your nose bridge, depending on how your straps are cinched. Good luck.

[Country4ever]

I hope the dentist had good reason to give you root canals. Its my understanding that just having pain is not enough.
I have fibromyalgia and have tons of pains all over, that have no obvious organic origins. I go through spells where certain teeth hurt. I usually wait it out and it goes away. The time I needed a root canal, the entire side of my face hurt and it was unrelenting.

Sometimes pain can be lessened by using an anti-depressant. Its not that the pain is in one's head, but there's something about the antidepressant that dulls the pain. Also, you might ask about the flouride cream you can somtimes put on sensitive teeth.
I feel every little pain there is. I hate it. So I can empathize!

I've also discovered that my electric toothbrush can sometimes irritate some of my teeth........so I just go easy on them for awhile.
Good luck!

[rosacer]

Thanks Country4ever and DreamDiver.

For sure there is a problem with the pressure over the upper teeth. I'm getting really really fed up with this pain.

Today the pain has been less but even that lesser pain is too much for my patience, I dream about the time when I didn't have teeth pain.

Last night I toke the Headrest again and I loosen the adjustments. I woke up several times because of leaks (I hate that so much ) and I readjusted it a bit each time. I did that several times in the night So, today I was tired but with not much pain.

I think this night I will take the Activa, that will give me a break. I'm worried about the pressure the Activa makes over the lower teeth. Am I finishing with lower teeth pain now ?????? Why things can't be easier in life??? I swore I had found the best mask in the world (Headrest), I see it's maybe not the reality.

[sleepycarol]

I don't like anything pushing on my upper lip and loosened the Headrest (been using it now for at least a couple of years or longer) and use a stretchy headband for stability. For me pressure on the upper lip was reduced and may work for you. Just move the mask forward a little using the adjustment on top. I use the narrow headbands that are made not to slip and that seems to be enough support -- doesn't block my vision any.