Looking for info on the tap pap

[Simonhorn]

BACKGROUND: I have used nasal pillows with a headstrap since 2001.

The TAP PAP looks interesting:

Questions:
1. Is it quieter or louder than a ResMed swift nasal pillow mask?
2. Can you easily sleep on your side?
3. Does your spouse have an opinion about this mask as opposed to another mask you have used with her/him?
4. expected life span?
5. ease of cleaning?
6. Long term dental/teeth/jaw impact or effects?
7. If the dental mold doesn't work has anyone used it with the head gear, how has that worked for you?

Any info would be very appreciated.

Thanks Much everyone,

Simon

[Pugsy]

Welcome to the forum.

I actually used this mask for about a year and a half and it replaced the Swift FX as my primary mask.
It got unseated by the P10 but it was a really close contest.

1. I thought it was less noisy than the Swift FX.

2. I am primarily a side sleeper anyway...so definitely no problem in that area or really in any sleeping position.

3. Not sure what you are looking for here with the spouse opinion question...can you clarify?

4. I don't know but I used the same mask and mouth guard the entire 1 1/2 years I used it. The main reason I went to the P10 was the P10 came about at around the same time I was having some dental work done on a lower back molar and while the mouth guard never really touched it...figured it was a good time to test something else. Ended up with a root canal on a back molar that had been crowned some 30 years ago. It was just old age that caused that problem. Totally unrelated to the mouth guard.

5. 5 seconds washing and rinsing the mouth guard while at the same time brushing my teeth. Doesn't get much easier than that.

6. I did talk to my dentist about it...he said that it couldn't change the teeth when worn only a few hours each night. He said it might feel like the bite changed but it wasn't because the teeth moved but instead the jaws themselves needing to realign. More of a jaw muscle thing than a teeth thing.

7....can't help you...I had such great success with just the mouth guard I never even bothered to attach the headgear.

I will say this that there were times when I would wake up in the morning and not feel the mouth guard at all...everything totally disappeared sensory wise. It was like I wasn't even using anything ...mask or machine.

The most common problem people had with it was the mouth guard fitting...they would get it too tight and it was hard to remove once it got hard. It doesn't have to be skin tight to stabilize the nasal pillows. I made the same mistake myself. All I did was run it under some hot water to soften it up a little and then refit it and not suck so hard.

There is a new "no headgear" mask just about to be released...hopefully by the end of Feb or first of March.
If headgear annoys you...you might want to check it out.
The Bleep/Dream Port
There's a video about it here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZzaY2KAt0c&app=desktop
Official review from me in the next day or so once I get it all nice and polished and checked for typos.

[Simonhorn]

Wowzer! Fast response and detailed, thanks.
The wife question was just incase there was an opinion from a spouse that mattered in the scheme of things: "I think its noisy" " you gasp, grind teeth, etcc"

[Pugsy]

No...my hubby never mentioned anything about the TapPap causing anything except on occasion he got a stream of air when the vent bounced off something and hit him. This happened with the Swift FX too.
Has not happened of course with the P10 and it's diffused venting system.
It's funny but he never mentioned it at all until I was using the P10 and what he said was "are you using a new mask or something because I no longer will sometimes have the air hit me in the middle of the back or my face...it wasn't often but sometimes it did"
He never complained about it but was sure glad when I changed to the P10. He would never complain about anything I had to do to deal with my problem. That's just the way he is. He would "suffer" in silence.

As far as when I was using the mouth guard Tap Pap...he never knew it was in my mouth really...no sounds of teeth clicking or plastic or anything like that. But I am not a known teeth grinder either.
Only thing he has ever said anything about was when I went to the P10 and he no longer felt the vent hitting him. Said it was nice to not have that happen. It was always from the vented air stream bouncing off either my arm or the bed covers or something. The way the air goes when it isn't bouncing off something can't normally hit anyone unless the sleeping position is really not normal.

[Simonhorn]

Aha! See I knew the spousal question would uncover something.

I had a mask that didn't have a diffuser and had forgotten about the airstream. I am surprised they all don't use a diffuser by now.

Anyway. Ill check out the P10 and the new one you linked in your first response. Hopefully they both have a diffuser!

Cheers

[RogerSC]

I used the TAP PAP for about 2 years. My memories of it was that I didn't use the headgear, but had the lowest leakage ever. When you get the boil-and-bite thing right (took me a couple of tries), the thing is very stable without headgear. On the other hand, I really disliked it. I had to use a mask without headgear for that period, but really worried about what might be happening to my teeth. I know that teeth do move when subjected to long-term force, that's how orthodonture works, and was glad to be able to stop using it. Not fond of the drooling aspect, either. I really never want to go back to it. But that's me, other people most likely like it better than I did.

Glad to be back to the Swift FX...I'd be happy to be able to use the P10, but haven't been able to get the leakage down to headgear instability. And the leaks I get with the P10 wake me up, which is really not where I want to be.

[kteague]

I have used the TapPap for a few years now. Agree about the fitting - be sure to wiggle it around to loosen before it gets set. I let it get too tight and was trying to hold warm water in my mouth to soften it enough to get it out. I found it to be the most secure mask I've ever used - never had a leak issue. Never used the headgear, but thanks for the reminder. I meant to check that out because I wondered if the mask could be used with the headgear only or if the headgear was just a support in addition to the mouthpiece. The first couple weeks my teeth felt sore but that subsided. I expected trouble with teeth shifting as my teeth had become somewhat loose and I didn't know if the mouthpiece might make this worse. Turned out exactly the opposite. My loose teeth stabilized and are as strongly in place as ever. Can't say if it caused any cavity issues - way behind on seeing a dentist. The freedom from headgear was like heaven to me after years of straps.