Just like my mom told me. Learn to keep your mouth shut.

[fidelfs]

Hi,

I am happy. I have struggled with opening my mouth for years (longer than my cpap therapy), I think it was caused by sleep apnea. I ground my teeth, drooled for so long.
I started my therapy Dec/2009 and my sleep test were not well done because my open mouth.
I tried to use chinstrap, no success with some, and other caused pain. I tried tapping, with success but I didn't like the glue residue.
Well, during that period I keep my tongue up all the time and it looks like I am doing it even without trying. I used a nasal mask last 2 night and I know my mouth was not actually close, but no leaks. That means my tongue prevented the air exit my mouth so therapy was successful.

I think 2 factors have help me, one is keeping my tongue up and I was able to reduce the pressure from 15 to 12 so far. My ahi still low at 0.8.

I guess I can say good bye to full face masks now. I am happy

[newhosehead]

Wow, good for you, that is impressive. I can relate to what you said, I think I remember my grandmother telling me as a kid to shut my mouth and breathe through my nose. My daughters and I (they are both grown) have joked for years that we are a family of mouth breathers. What a pretty word picture that is. Now I seriously wonder if they are at risk for apena as well as I believe I have probably had it for years. Again, kudos to you for conquering the mouth breathing; I am not at all sure I could!

[fidelfs]

I guess, I need to change my avatar from Apple full face mask to Apple nasal mask.

[judyhorowitz]

My question is, how did you train your tongue to stay up when you're actually asleep???

[fidelfs]

I just tried to keep it up when you are awake and conscious and eventually you develop muscle memory. I just tried the last 2 night to sleep without tape, chin strap or anything but my nasal mask. Guess what? No leaks. I know, I open my mouth because I found some drooling (big drool here ), but no dry mouth, leaks reported by machine or even the software didn't detect any.

I kept doing it so many times that even when I am awake, I can feel my tongue up. It is just muscle memory.

[kteague]

Another tidbit of motherly wisdom discovered to be useful in ways we never imagined would come to be.

[harry33]

people who normally nose breathe often mouth breathe at first if given a nose only mask

mouth breathing all the time is bad for you

[beachgurl_1988]

I didn't think about it until I was reading the posts, that I keep my tongue touching the roof of my mouth almost all the time. Weird.