Full face mask: Supposed to breathe through nose?

[redskyatnight8]

Quick question as a newbie... Either I've always been a mouth breather or I've become one over the years. I was given a full face mask. Is it okay to breathe completely through my mouth with this on? Or are you still supposed to TRY to breathe through your nose, if possible? Is effectiveness generally lower if you breathe through your mouth? Thanks in advance.

[palerider]

Quick question as a newbie... Either I've always been a mouth breather or I've become one over the years. I was given a full face mask. Is it okay to breathe completely through my mouth with this on? Or are you still supposed to TRY to breathe through your nose, if possible? Is effectiveness generally lower if you breathe through your mouth? Thanks in advance.

Breathing through your nose is better for you, physically. that's what noses are for,

But if you want, for some reason, to breathe through your mouth, with a FFM, then go ahead and do it, that's why it covers your mouth too.

[Okie bipap]

I use a firm foam cervical collar to help keep my mouth closed when I sleep so I breathe through my nose. I have found it helps immensely with the dry mouth.

[ChicagoGranny]

Is effectiveness generally lower if you breathe through your mouth?

Not if your CPAP system is working properly. Do you know how to find the data and analyze the effectiveness of your CPAP therapy?

[CapnLoki]

Quick question as a newbie... Either I've always been a mouth breather or I've become one over the years. I was given a full face mask. Is it okay to breathe completely through my mouth with this on? Or are you still supposed to TRY to breathe through your nose, if possible? Is effectiveness generally lower if you breathe through your mouth? Thanks in advance.

There are certainly those who claim that mouth-breathing is problematical and that the goal should be to learn to breath through your nose. However, it is not necessary and there are plenty of folks who are primarily mouth breathers. I have been a mouth breather most (all?) of my life. I started using a cpap 5+ years ago and use a full face mask (quattro air for 5 years, now trying a F30) and my numbers are near perfect: AHI of 0.3 for the last 4 years and no other adverse symptoms. I'd love to be able to say I have the energy of a 20 year old, but alas, that was left behind a long time ago. I can say that I actually stay awake all day, which is more than I could say before the hose.

[palerider]

Quick question as a newbie... Either I've always been a mouth breather or I've become one over the years. I was given a full face mask. Is it okay to breathe completely through my mouth with this on? Or are you still supposed to TRY to breathe through your nose, if possible? Is effectiveness generally lower if you breathe through your mouth? Thanks in advance.

There are certainly those who claim that mouth-breathing is problematical and that the goal should be to learn to breath through your nose.

Like this guy: https://doctorstevenpark.com/attention- ... our-nose-2

[CapnLoki]

There are certainly those who claim that mouth-breathing is problematical and that the goal should be to learn to breath through your nose.

Like this guy: https://doctorstevenpark.com/attention- ... our-nose-2

I should have added the when I'm awake I'm almost always a nose breather; the mouth breathing is some percentage of my time sleeping. How much, I don't know, but its been all my life. Since a large majority of my total breathing is nasal, I'm not worried about the issues Dr. Park raises.

[Chris8243]

Like this guy: https://doctorstevenpark.com/attention- ... our-nose-2
[/quote]

Interesting article. Just read a few articles on his website. Now I will be conscious of my mouth breathing, which I do all the time. Yikes!

[Chris8243]

Like this guy: https://doctorstevenpark.com/attention- ... our-nose-2
[/quote]

Interesting article. Just read a few articles on his website. Now I will be conscious of my mouth breathing, which I do all the time. Yikes!

[palerider]

Like this guy: https://doctorstevenpark.com/attention- ... our-nose-2

Interesting article. Just read a few articles on his website. Now I will be conscious of my mouth breathing, which I do all the time. Yikes!
[/quote]

A lot of sleep doctors don't seem to know their arses from holes in the ground, but I do think that Dr Park has a clue.

[zoocrewphoto]

For those of us who breath through our mouths a good portion of sleep time, the full face mask allows for full treatment while mouth breathing. It makes sure that the pressure isn't lost by escaping out your mouth. In my sleep study, I was 79+ ahi. With a full face mask, I am between 0.2-1.2 most nights. Rarely over 1.5.

A lot of people have an easier time with nasal masks, so it is worth it for them to eliminate mouth breathing. I actually do not like the feeling of the air blowing through my nose, so I see no reason to change. During the day, when not overly active, I do breath through my nose. If I am active, I revert to mouth breathing. Probably due to my narrow airways. Last year, I was diagnosed with low iron (and thus low oxygen in my blood, even during the day). One of the symptoms was that I was mouth breathing all day long. And very aware of it.

[Barbee]

If my nose is clear I breathe thru my nose. If its clogged, I breathe thru my mouth. FFM allows either one. My goal is to sleep well. im not going to lose sleep worrying about how I breathe.

[ChicagoGranny]

If my nose is clear I breathe thru my nose. If its clogged, I breathe thru my mouth. FFM allows either one. My goal is to sleep well. im not going to lose sleep worrying about how I breathe.

+1

[weroberts75]

I was almost exclusively a mouth breather during my teens and early twenties. I then had two sinus surgeries which were life-altering.
My quality of life greatly improved once my nose started working, but I'm posting this to say that some people will need medical help first and not just tape or breathing exercises.