Question on nasal mask and mouth breathing

[bethlori]

Many of you have said that I might be breathing through my mouth. I also know that some of you tape your mouth or wear a chin strap to keep your mouth closed. Here is my question...how is it phycially possible to breat through your mouth or even talk for that matter with a nasal mask on. FOr me, it creates a vaccum pressure thing and I physically couldn't even if I wanted to

[bookwrm63]

I know that when I fall asleep, my mouth drops open. My husband sees it, my kids, friends, etc.. It just happens when I'm all relaxed. So for me, a full face mask was the best answer. I do own the Swift (harsh on my sinuses) and a regular nasal mask ( Ihave to tape though) but just prefer not to go through the extra steps when I'm doing well with the FF mask.

When my parents come visit, we laugh and take pictures of my mother napping in recliner. Her jaw drops and I do believe she could swallow the dog if he got close enough! She is a mouth breather who is in denial about getting a FF mask...lol.

Mary

[RichCMH]

If you open your mouth you can breathe in/out, but the cpap air pressure just escapes out your mouth, thus you are not benefitting from the cpap therapy. Have you ever tried to blow up a balloon and the air pressure escaped out your nose? Same principle.

[krousseau]

You will learn to talk with the mask on-you'll just sound like Darth Vader.

The mouth opening slightly is part of the relaxation response-you don't have to be a "mouth breather" for it to happen-once the mouth opens & tongue drops the air pressure just escapes through the open mouth.

[Snoredog]

what you do when you are awake is totally different then what you may do when in REM sleep.

When you are awake you can control those muscles, when you reach REM you have no control over what you mandible may do.

What usually happens after you reach REM and start mouth breathing is they lips will part and open about 1/8" then once your mandible drops your cpap pressure can escape from the mouth.

This can usually be seen with a high mask leak rate and bouts of dry mouth.

You CAN enable the Mask alert feature on the machine and it will sound an alarm should you start mouth breathing. Should it go off and wake you up you can assume you either had pushed the mask out of kelter causing a large leak or mouth breathing was the cause.

[bluegrassfan]

I've only been on my machine for 10 days, not much luck with it until last night. I was having gasping episodes. DME said I needed a chin strap which I will pick up today, but last nite I bought a headband from Kmart and slipped it over my chin/head. Wasn't comfortable, but I had no gasping episodes, and I think I had two periods when I may have nearly one hour of sleep. I do still notice a stirring or tickling sensation in my chest during the 3 second period between exhale and inhale. Also sometimes I feel something move in the back of my throat. Not sure what those are...any ideas Snoredog?? Tks..bob

[krousseau]

Snoredog--for me personally--I don't have to be in REM or even asleep for my lips & mandible to part/drop slightly. If I'm meditating and no XPAP on I just continue breathing through my nostrils--not mouth breathing--no dry mouth or gasping. When falling asleep--even before REM--the relaxation is deeper--voluntary control going/going/gone--and the XPAP pressure escapes out the mouth--and awakens me.
In doing some awake state experiments I found the air blowing out is very drying--it takes less than a minute for my mouth to dry out-whereas I can mouth breathe much longer (without XPAP on).
Once asleep--of course I don't know if my "intent" is to mouth breathe or it is simply being in a deeply relaxed state when my mouth drops open. The end result is the same.....and I certainly can't breathe in through my mouth then.