Anyone else have this problem?

[cscully]

scully
I'm new to this site; just joined today. Has anyone else experience this or am I just a freak? I have been using a cpap machine for about 9 months and have been getting sores on my tongue that are exact imprints of my teeth. Sometimes these hurt pretty bad. I think it has something to do with the pressure causing suction in my mouth. I googled "swollen taste buds, dead taste buds, and lie bumps" for some info and don't think this is what I have. I practice good oral hygiene and do not have a history of sores in my mouth. The sleep Dr. isn't much help with this, he said to get a mouth guard from my dentist. I saw the dentist he made me an "NTI", it keeps my teeth from touching and it doesn't really do anything for the bumps/sores. Anyone have any thoughts on how to avoid these bumps and sores or make them go away?

[Jersey Girl]

Try going to your primary doctor and showing him/her the sores on your tongue. Might not be related to your cpap - could be a conincidence. Or, perhaps you are actually chewing your tongue in your sleep? (I chewed my tongue a little by accident the first time that I had novacane from the dentist.). I woud pursue it with your primary - you don't want to be uncomfortable!

Best wishes,

Jersey Girl

[Joe50]

I was a mouth breather for all of my life but being on the machine made me a nose breather by somehow training me to always put my tongue against the roof of my mouth anytime I close my mouth. Putting the tongue on the roof of the mouth forces me to nose breath. I guess I learned how to do it in my sleep because I made no effort to learn how to do it while I was conscious.
Anyway, whenever my mouth is closed I put my tongue up to the roof of my mouth with a lot of force so it might be possible that you do it forcefully enough to cause sores...Maybe??? You might have a very strong tongue.

[ervinsanders]

I guess Your sleep apnea treatment will be effective with chin straps because there are likely to be fewer air leaks during sleep.

[Janknitz]

You might need to check in with an ENT if your dentist isn't helpful. I've heard that people with tongues that are large for their mouth will develop a "scalloped"appearance on the edge of the tonge from the pressure against the teeth. Do you hold the tongue on the roof of your mouth when using CPAP? If not, try that position (place your tongue on that ridge of gum behind your top teeth), because it minimizes your tongue's contact with your teeth.

I have something known as "geographic tongue" My tongue looks like a relief map with raised white areas and taste buds. I can see areas of flatness or raised areas near the sides where the teeth often touch it. The pattern changes over time. It is sensitive to acidic foods and sometimes will ache when I eat them (I can eat a certain amount of acidic foods before it starts to hurt). Geographic tongue is pretty common and it's hereditary. You may have had it all along but not noticed it until recently. If you google it, you can see pictures to compare to.