dry mouth

FLIGHTYONE · Post by **FLIGHTYONE** » Tue Dec 25, 2007 10:51 am

I got a new mask a couple weeks ago and it is working GREAT, I am very pleased with it, and I am sleeping for 8 or more hours with the mask on, yea for me, it has been a long and hard struggle but things are going good
now for my question, when I get up in the morning my mouth, teeth, throat , are so dry, it only last till I get water but what can I do to prevent this,

LavenderMist · Post by **LavenderMist** » Tue Dec 25, 2007 11:04 am

You may want to try turning your humidifier up some and see if that helps out.

sleepycarol · Post by **sleepycarol** » Tue Dec 25, 2007 11:14 am

Do you have a full face mask or is it just a nasal mask?

If it is a nasal mask, pillows, or prongs you might be leaking out your mouth.

Good luck.

Craig-Tx · Post by **Craig-Tx** » Tue Dec 25, 2007 11:19 am

FLIGHTYONE wrote:I got a new mask a couple weeks ago and it is working GREAT, I am very pleased with it, and I am sleeping for 8 or more hours with the mask on, yea for me, it has been a long and hard struggle but things are going good
now for my question, when I get up in the morning my mouth, teeth, throat , are so dry, it only last till I get water but what can I do to prevent this,

Your profile shows you are using a UMFF (Full face mask). If that is still the mask you are using, turning your humidifier up will help. When I use my UMFF I have the same problem as well. The best thing you can do is try to breath through your nose with your mouth closed.

I believe the main design flaw in the UMFF and probably other full face masks is that the air inlet lines up directly over the mouth. Air is blown in, circulates in the mouth, and blows out the exhaust ports of the mask. Unfortunately this drys out the mouth. I've toyed with the idea of designing some form of diverter over the air inlet that makes the air blow around the mask and not into the mouth. As long as the air in the mask is pressurized, you are getting treatment.

If on the other hand you have switched to a nasal only mask (doesn't cover the mouth) then you absolutely MUST get your mouth breathing under control. Mouth Breathing is when you use a nasal mask and the pressurized air blows in the nose and right back out the mouth. If this is happening, it not only makes things very uncomfortable, but you also aren't getting ANY real treatment. The treatment pressure is being lost through the mouth.

Good luck, and let us know how it's going.

Merry Christmas,
-craig

RipVW · Post by **RipVW** » Tue Dec 25, 2007 11:24 am

Still dealing with that same issue myself--just happens some nights, not every night. But, it is the dryest mouth I've every had--I mean desert dry, bone dry, dust dry . . . I've always used a FF mask, experimenting now with Swift II Nasal Pillow, and will try a Mirage Activa this weekend. I've tried a chinstrap to keep my mouth closed, just cannot tolerate that thing!

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Tue Dec 25, 2007 12:13 pm

Even with a full face mask, you have to keep your mouth shut and breathe through your nose.....or you'll wake up with a very dry mouth. Make sure your nasal passages are clear before going to bed. But, don't use things like Afrin as it'll have the opposite effect. Use some kind of nasal "irrigation". Learn to sleep with your tongue on the roof of your mouth.

Too much heat/humidity can have the opposite effect and close up your nasal passages. If you typically have trouble breathing through your nose, shut your humidifier off and use cool water in your humidifier as it should open up your nasal passages. If you doubt what I'm saying, go outside on a cold day and take a deep breath through your nose and you'll see what I mean.

Den

RipVW · Post by **RipVW** » Tue Dec 25, 2007 1:48 pm

Thanks, Den! I'll try these suggestions! I've been using the heated water, will try cold. I do think you're right, that my mouth breathing primarily happens when my nasal passages are not clear.

glfredrick · Post by **glfredrick** » Tue Dec 25, 2007 9:53 pm

I have similar issues, and one thing that has helped overall is using Biotene a tooth paste, developed for dry mouth.

As a mouth breather for decades, I've had to fight this fight for a long time...

http://www.biotene.net/products/toothpaste.asp

dllfo · Post by **dllfo** » Wed Dec 26, 2007 4:22 am

Oasis mouth spray works very well for me. Walgreens carries it for $6.50 a bottle and have had it on a half price sale a few time.

My Oral Surgeon recommended it and it is supposed to stop tooth decay.

Good luck with it. If you need a spray for congestion, Astelin is the one recommended by my Pulmonologist. It tastes horrible if you get it in your mouth, but supposedly can be used more than once a night without drying everything up. It is prescription type stuff, not OTC.

Good luck with it.

Mask

Mask

Additional Comments: Pressure = 16!!!

dry mouth

dry mouth

Re: dry mouth