Does mouth breathing get reduced with CPAP?

[Dave5059]

Is it possible that in some instances mouth breathing occurs as a survival tactic? Basically your brain senses that something isn't right (ex. your throat starts to collapse) and then your brain unconsciously tells your mouth to open up to breathe (because it may think the nasal airways are not sufficient in giving you the amount of oxygen that you need). And although the cause of the breathing issue is the throat, the 'conscious' brain wouldn't know that.

If you humans think that there is no correlation between CPAP use and mouth breathing reduction, then would it be safe to say that snoring with the mouth opened can be a good indication to determine if that individual would need a full face mask and or strap?

[Julie]

Yes.

[DeadlySleep]

Is it possible that in some instances mouth breathing occurs as a survival tactic?

Yes, like when running from a sabretooth tiger.

[Julie]

DS - Are you casting aspersions on my new avatar?

[palerider]

If you humans think

as opposed to what else thinking?

[Julie]

[kteague]

Having once been a mouth breather who is no longer, I have to think the act of mouth breathing was a response to the compromised airways from OSA. If one can successfully nose breathe when awake, there's a good chance they can nose breathe while asleep. Of course there's exceptions to about everything, like if nasal congestion is positional. In my early CPAP use I had to take extra measures to keep my mouth from leaking air. At some point that need stopped. I don't know that the mechanisms matter in the big picture. It's counter productive to lose treatment air out of the mouth. One needs to either accommodate mouth breathing with a full face mask or take measures to prevent the jaw from dropping or air blowing through the lips. So, in answer to your question. in my experience, sometimes it does.