Mouth breather

[AZsnorer]

Hi All:
I have gone through three sleep studies and tried a cpap machine at two different times for several nights each time. My delema is that I am a mouth breather and can't breath through my nose easily. I have had three surgeries on my nose also. Sooooo here is my question before I start all over again. Do they make a cpap mask for mouth breathers? Does anyone else have this problem?

[Pugsy]

You are not alone. You have a lot of company. The mask type for mouth breathers is called a Full Face Mask.
There are many, many different make and models to choose from to try to find one that suits you.

Full face mask covers the mouth and nose, or covers the mouth and has a nasal pillow interface for the nose.

Nasal masks cover the nose only and leave the mouth uncovered.

Nasal pillow masks use little inflatable pillows that rest against the nostril area to introduce the air. The mouth is again uncovered.

Obviously if someone is an avid mouth breather then the Full Face mask is what needs to be used since it covers the mouth and introduces air through the mouth if the nose is congested or not used much.

[AZsnorer]

Oh Happy Days!

Thank you "Pugsy" for the info on cpap for mouth breathers. The alternative was never offered to me. Of course its been a few years since I tried my machines and I am sure they have evolved...I am encouraged!! Thanks again.

[jeja]

Might also want to try a mouth guard. Wallmart, dental section in drugstores, and sports stores sell the heat/mold version. You can also get a dentist to take impressions and have one made for you (expensive). Has cut my snoring/mouth breathing dramatically. A full face mask is a necessity.

[Pugsy]

You are most welcome AZsnorer.

Please give things a good try this time. Yes, equipment has come a very long way in the past few years. There is no reason that you have to settle for something that doesn't work well for you. There are many, many full face masks to choose from. Many people do go through several before they settle on one that suits them.

[JDS74]

Hi All:
I have gone through three sleep studies and tried a cpap machine at two different times for several nights each time. My delema is that I am a mouth breather and can't breath through my nose easily. I have had three surgeries on my nose also. Sooooo here is my question before I start all over again. Do they make a cpap mask for mouth breathers? Does anyone else have this problem?

There is an alternative for us mouth breathers. The mask I use is an oral only mask and doesn't rely on or even use nasal air at all. My nose is fairly OK during the day but closes up completely shortly after I lie down.

Here is an image of the mask in use ( it's not me ).

[Lizistired]

Do you get dry mouth with the oral mask?

[rested gal]

The oral mask (mouth only) is called the Oracle. It's made by Fisher & Paykel.

I tried the Oracle several times some years ago. I really, really, REALLY wanted it to work for me, but it didn't. Got an extremely dry mouth even with a very good heated humidifier turned up as high as it would go. Also had many air leaks (like "snorts") through my nose. The nose plugs that came with the Oracle didn't stop the snort-leaks. Got some better (and more comfortable) nose plugs, but they couldn't hold back the snort-leaks either.

And, to keep from getting squeaking air leaks around the mouth shield I had to dial it in so snugly that my lip would go numb. I just couldn't use it.

All that said, there are people that do fine with the Oracle. Any mask is worth a try because a mask that doesn't suit one person could very well be the perfect mask for someone else.

[JDS74]

Do you get dry mouth with the oral mask?

Yep, I do get dry mouth. I set my humidity to 5 on the Respironics heated humidifier and have a room humidifier going in a closed room. Dry mouth is pretty well under control. The distance between the two layers of the mask is critical and needs to be carefully adjusted to avoid too much pressure.

You are right about the Fisher-Paykel nose plugs - not quite worthless. I got some nose pinchers from my doc that he uses to keep your nose closed during a lung tidal volume measurement that have really nice soft pillows.
The horns fit nicely on the mask and everything keeps in place most of the night.
Here is an image of the nose clip device.



I think its true that some masks work fine for some and not others. My good fortune is that this is the only mask I can use.

[Big S]

Wow. What does it feel like when air leaks out the nose?

[Sheriff Buford]

I am a big mouth breather... I use the total face mask (see my mask below) The mask seal is above the eyes and below the mouth (say goodby to nose sores!).

Sheriff

[DocWeezy]

Wow. What does it feel like when air leaks out the nose?

Did you ever laugh so hard that whatever you were drinking at the time came out your nose? (Remember George Carlin's really old comedy routine with this in it?)...anyway.....it's kinda like that.

I tried the Oracle and liked it, but couldn't get my nose to seal properly even with a variety of different nose plugs. Maybe I'm missing something anatomically--hubby can seal his nose off without nose plugs, it's really weird; he can also seal off his mouth and talk pretty normally while using a nasal mask--no air leaks out. No, he's not a hosehead, but wanted to try my masks. If he ever has to become a hosehead, he'll probably adjust within minutes because he fell asleep playing with my Swift FX.

Weezy

[Big S]

Thanks Weezy!

Concerning hubby: isn't that the way it always works? Gee honey, I don't know what your problem is, this is pretty easy (for me)!

[napmaster]

Just adding my perspective. Not sure it is valid. I'm a noobie, so ....

Anyway, I'm a nose breather by day. Start out nose breathing going to sleep. Then when I get to REM, that mouth wants to pop open. I don't know if that classifies as a mouth breather or not. I know some people have sinus issues that prevent nose breathing when they lay down. Currently, I have that under control.

With all that said, I have been able to use a nasal pillow (Swift FX) with great success using the PAPcap chinstrap. I don't know if that's an option for you. I could not handle the nose pillow/mouth mask. My mouth got waaay too dry. And, when my jaw relaxed and my mouth fell open, it created leaks that others have described. That mask "farting" sound would startle me so bad! AHI jumped to ~24.

Well, that's is my limited experience.

[avi123]

Who is a "Mouth Breather"?

The term “Mouth Breather” has been used in this and other forums quite loosely without identifying which type it is.

a. Inhale thru the nose only and exhale thru the mouth (mostly)
b. Inhale and exhale thru the mouth only
c. Inhale thru the mouth and exhale thru the nose
d. Inhale and exhale thru both the nose and mouth
e. Inhale and exhale thru the nose only (as most of us do while CPAPing)

For example: If you're a type "b", i. e., inhale and exhale thru the mouth only, and want to half your arousal index, produce a large increase in percentage of REM sleep, with no deterioration in sleep latency or sleep efficiency, then, taping your mouth and using a FF or a nasal mask would be the most effective way to improving your quality of life if it could be maintain for long-term. However, at this time it is not advocated taping the mouth for indiscriminate long- time term home use, because of the risk of asphyxia in the present of nasal obstruction, machine or power failure, or regurgitation. Even if you're using a bilevel ventilatory support.

Given the correct data of your type of "mouth breathing" and any other ailments, it should be simple to choose a mask (or taping the mouth option) that would optimize the OSA CPAP treatment and minimize negative side effects.

BUT YOU AS THE POSTER NEED TO BE CLEAR ABOUT IT AND NOT JUST SAY “ I AM A MOUTH BREATHER”! Do we need to guess which type is it?