Cottonmouth and Snoring

I guess that cottonmouth (waking up in the middle of the night with no saliva in your mouth) and snoring go hand in hand. I suffer from both. I use a ResMed VPAP Auto with a H5i humidifier and a chinstrap. The cottonmouth is most unpleasant and my wife isn't wild about the snoring. I use Biotene prior to going to bed but it doesn't help with the dry mouth problem. Does anyone have any suggestions about how to solve either, or preferably both, of my problems?

sheltie wrote:I guess that cottonmouth (waking up in the middle of the night with no saliva in your mouth) and snoring go hand in hand. I suffer from both. I use a ResMed VPAP Auto with a H5i humidifier and a chinstrap. The cottonmouth is most unpleasant and my wife isn't wild about the snoring. I use Biotene prior to going to bed but it doesn't help with the dry mouth problem. Does anyone have any suggestions about how to solve either, or preferably both, of my problems?

Yep, I believe dry cottonmouth and snoring do go hand in hand. Likely your chinstrap is not doing a great job of keeping your mouth closed (assuming you use a nasal mask). What does your leak line look like? Do you use software to look at your sleep data? A high leak rate would support the open-mouth hypothesis. In that situation even Biotene (which I use too) won't be able to take care of it. I dont' snore but I am a hopeless mouth-opener. I finally had to use tape, but I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of a mouthguard I hope will allow me to keep my mouth closed. I'll be posting my results once I've had a chance to try it.

Use a cervical collar- it will keep your mouth shut- no apnea and reduced snoring.

arete123 wrote:Use a cervical collar- it will keep your mouth shut- no apnea and reduced snoring.

I wear a cervical collar fitted snugly every night and it does not keep my mouth shut and I still need CPAP and a full face mask.

If you are using a nasal mask, and assuming you have tried all means to keep your mouth closed at night, you may consider using a full face mask. "Cotton mouth" is a result of mouth breathing which can reduce your therapy treatment. Lots of folks have to wear full face masks because of mouth breathing.

Sheriff

If you have cotton mouth AND you are still snoring...you are breathing through your mouth. The chinstrap is not working. The Sheriff is right...you need to try a full face mask. You have been using a CPAP for several years...did this problem just start?
What do you thing changed in your sleeping pattern?

"I wear a cervical collar fitted snugly every night and it does not keep my mouth shut and I still need CPAP and a full face mask.[quote][/quote]

Just curious- why wear the collar if it doesn't keep your mouth shut? Do you need a wider collar, one that fits snugly under your chin when you sleep. The purpose of the collar is to take up all the space in your neck to your head and keep your head/neck secure.

Do you need a wider collar, one that fits snugly under your chin when you sleep.

At the beginning I purchased a size that fits snugly under my chin. There was little expectation that any spinal collar would hold my mouth shut because I already new that a sturdy chin strap secured very tightly would not keep my mouth closed when I enter REM.

What I learned from reading the forum is that a large portion of members are unable to prevent mouth openings with chin straps. I assume spinal collars will also do poorly for this purpose.

I believe without the collar it is often the case that I roll into a position of neck/head alignment that necessitates an increased CPAP pressure. So for me, the benefit of the spinal collar is lower and fewer pressure spikes.

The downside of the collar is a modest increase in retained body heat during the summer. (During heating season maybe it is a benefit.)

Is there a problem with a full-face mask? That's what I use. I do use a chinstrap also just to "remind" me to keep my mouth closed.

But the full-face mask eliminates snoring and cotton mouth. I would strongly recommend that.

Andy

But the full-face mask eliminates cotton mouth.

As a blanket statement that is just not true. If you breathe through your mouth long enough (usually just a few minutes) while wearing a FFM you will dry out the inside of the mouth.

I have this problem and have read here dozens of accounts of others having the problem.

Of course to get back to the OP, we don't know what mask he is using. He may already be using a FFM - some people do use a chinstrap with a FFM.

But I do agree that if he is using a nasal interface he should try a FFM.

I think I looked back at some of the OP old posts and he mentioned the Activa which I think is nasal interface only mask.
Hence the chin strap.

Snoring and dry mouth and if for sure the nasal interface mask then mouth breathing for the dry mouth and loss of therapy pressure due to mouth breathing likely promotes inadequate therapy and thus the snoring.

Really need to see software reports to see what is going on for sure. It might be half the night or it might just be for 30 minutes.
It doesn't take much mouth breathing to dry the mouth out. So the whole night might not be totally in the tank.
I have woke up with my mouth nearly glued together it was so dry and looking at leak line I had maybe 10 minutes of large leak and likely mouth breathing. Not enough time spent in large leak to make me do anything different.

andy88488 wrote:Is there a problem with a full-face mask? That's what I use. I do use a chinstrap also just to "remind" me to keep my mouth closed.

But the full-face mask eliminates snoring and cotton mouth. I would strongly recommend that.

Andy

A FFM (Full Face Mask) tends to leak more because it has a larger area to seal against. It also has to handle the curves of a larger part of your face and may leak more.

There will be more pressure on the straps because of the increased area under pressure.

Some people believe they increase apnea for some because they push your jaw back. It's sort of like a negative dental device.

You can't talk, swallow pills, eat, or drink water without taking the mask off.

Many lazy DMEs dispense FFMs because it's easier on them, despite being the wrong first choice for the patient.

FFMs have a higher risk of aspiration asphyxiation if the patient is unconscious (other than normal sleep) or otherwise unable to remove the mask in case of vomiting.

However, many people do need FFMs because of leaks or difficulty breathing through the nose. If it works for you, or you prefer it, that's fine. It should never be the first choice for all patients, though.

You can't talk, swallow pills, eat, or drink water without taking the mask off.

I easily do all of those without removing my FFM. A drinking straw slips easily under the mask and my fingers do also to deliver my pills.

It should never be the first choice for all patients, though.

I never saw this proposed (FFMs for everyone) the entire time I have read in this forum.

Many lazy DMEs dispense FFMs because it's easier on them, despite being the wrong first choice for the patient.

That is a new one on me also. B&M DMEs around here routinely push nasal pillows even when the prescription says FFM.