Question about Tape

I don't mouth breathe at night (a small miracle) but I've wondered when I see people who do mouth breathe if my theory is correct?

My theory is that there are two kinds of people that experience mouth leaks:
Group 1 people might be able to keep their jaw closed, but can't keep their lips sealed
Group 2 can't keep their jaws closed but could keep their lips sealed if their jaws didn't relax during sleep.

So my theory is that group one people have to tape all the way across their lips to stop leaking.

But I'm wondering if a single, thin strip of tape placed vertically from the chin to below the nose would stop the leaking problems for Group 2???

I don't know why I give so much thought to this as I'm not a mouth leaker, but it just seems disturbing to me to think that I might ever have to have my lips totally sealed with tape. A small piece just to keep my jaw in place might be OK

Janknitz wrote: a single, thin strip of tape placed vertically from the chin to below the nose would stop the leaking problems for Group 2???

Well, I do not know what my jaw and/or lips do when I sleep !?!
but I tape vertically with a narrow strip of tape.
I need to have the corners of my lips untaped.
Why?....because I also drool (not much) and when
the tape gets 'wet' it irratates my skin... (alot!)
So, vertically works just fine for me. Janknitz, do an experiment -
tape vertically - it is quite hard to open your lips - that's why I think
it is a waste of money (and tape) to tape one's mouth totally.
Taping also solved my dry mouth problem - so I am very happy to tape!

I seem to fall into what you call "group 2". I have always used one piece of 1 inch tape vertically in the middle of my lips. It has worked for me for a number of years.

I had not thought of it in the way you describe. I thought I was the kind of person who just needed a little reminder to keep my mouth shut. When I read your description I think - That's me in group 2!

Janknitz wrote:I don't mouth breathe at night (a small miracle) but I've wondered when I see people who do mouth breathe if my theory is correct?

My theory is that there are two kinds of people that experience mouth leaks:
Group 1 people might be able to keep their jaw closed, but can't keep their lips sealed
Group 2 can't keep their jaws closed but could keep their lips sealed if their jaws didn't relax during sleep.

I fall into Group 3. Those that can't keep their lips sealed nor can they keep their jaw closed.

When I started to experiment with nasal pillows, the first night I used just a chinstrap. I know that I can't keep my mouth closed when I sleep. Woke several times to the equivalent of a F1 hurricane coming out of my lips. Gave up that night as the pillows made my nares very sore as well. Next night I used just tape. Worked better but jaw still pulled tape loose after 2 hours. Woke up to put new tape and chinstrap on. Night 3 used polident strips and chinstrap. Must have chipmunked my cheeks at some point because polident was blown apart.

My routine now is to use chapstick, tape, and chinstrap. I use 3" wide 3M Medipore cloth tape in a 6" long strip to cover my lips and help hold my jaw in place. Pretty sad when your jaw will force itself open when using a chinstrap alone.

Allen

I'm firmly in group 1, so I need to really seal those lips shut, and the chinstrap doesn't help. What I find interesting is that the other ffm's I have tried put me into allen's group 3 - they splint my jaw wide open! Only my current ff mask doesn't do that.

I seal only part of my lips with micropore, leave just the corners of my mouth tape free. I tried the cpap.com wide chin strap but it was way too wide and cut into my throat. I also do the chinup strips (homemade) occasionally, they work too.
Cheers
Nan

I seem to be able to keep my jaws together; I actually use a mouth guard because of teeth grinding. But I have lip flutter. I use 1/2 a polygrip strip on each corner of my lips, leaving the middle 1/4 inch or so open for a straw in case I want a sip of water, and to lessen claustrophobia. So far, so good, I think!