dry mouth with full face mask

[Guest]

Jaknitz, Rested Gal is (was) a mouth brether. She used a mask on her mouth and blocked her nose. Didn't she?

No!
This is from her profile:

Mask: Aeiomed Headrest/homemade straps.

But, she typically used tape to seal those lovely lips.

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[avi123]

I think that RG used this mask and blocked her nose, at one time. This could solve the OP problem:


fisher-paykel-oracle 452

[zoocrewphoto]

Biotene mouth wash helps some. My mouth gets very dry when I sleep deep.

Do you use it before bed or after? I looked at it today, but it was more expensive than I expected. Not sure if I want to try it. Once I get up, I am fine all day.

[zoocrewphoto]

Am I likely to get used to it? The problem is that it is the dryness that is waking me up. And it only seems to happen during the last couple hours. I am fin until then.

Many of us tend to do more mouthbreathing during REM when the muscles do a maximum relax. We are having more REM sleep during the latter part of the night so then is when the dry mouth is most noticeable.

About the Biotene mouthwash and Biotene spray, these are the wrong products. You should try Biotene gel. Somewhere in the forum is a nice post that taught me how to use it. It is very helpful (but not a perfect solution). I put it between my gums and teeth before masking up. It helps for quite a few hours and there is some still remaining at wake up time.

Also be sure to brush your teeth and floss before going to bed. Dry mouth can contribute to tooth decay and gum disease so hygiene is important. Biotene gel also helps to neutralize acids and has enzymes that kill harmful bacteria.

Have you looked into surgery to open up your nasal passages? Many people here have had it and report good results. Search for deviated septum and turbinate reduction.

Is the gel with the spray and toothpaste? I didn't see it when I looked today, but I wasn't looking for a gel. That sounds like it might be more useful.

I don't know if anything would help my nose. I am allergic to a lot of different things in the air, so I think it is just continuous mild congestion. Not enough to block my nose, but leaving less of an airway than normal. When I was 19, I was diagnosed as having a throat too small as I cannot achieve a normal level of airflow, and I get worse with more attempts, even with asthma medication. I also have a hard time swallowing pills. It is very easy for pills to hit the back of my throat and cause me to gag, or they tend to get stuck partway down. I can still drink water, so it isn't blocking my throat, but it sticks there and hurts while it dissolves. I have spent years taking adult strength liquid tylenol as regular tylenol are too big for me. I can get them down sometimes, but I have about a 50/50 chance of getting it down, and if I choke too much, I will lose my last meal. My doctor has been very good about choosing medications that come in smaller pills.

[zoocrewphoto]

Are you aware that the heated humidity can actually make nasal breathing worse? It can cause swelling of the tissue in the nasal passages and closes them off.
Have you tried turning your humidifier heat setting to "OFF" and using "passover" humidification (water in tank but no heat)? In the area you live, there should already be a decent amount of relative humidity in the air.

Also, make sure the area of the mask that seals the upper area of your nose is not too tight. Sometimes too much pressure in that area may restrict nasal air intake.

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So far, my nose has been clear, not actually blocked. I just can't get enough air flow through my nose when physically active or lying down. I already have trouble breathing when lying down. My asthma is always worse at night. If I am just sitting, like right now at the computer, I can breathe through my nose for a couple minutes before having to take a deeper breath by mouth.

[zoocrewphoto]

One other trick is to hydrate as well as you can during the day (stopping soon enough to avoid having to wake to urinate at night). The more hydrated you are to begin with, the less your mouth will dry out at night.

Thanks. This could very well be part of the problem. I do not like water, so I am always being told to drink more water. I did a case of Dasani today as it is a little better than most waters. I still don't enjoy it.

I am also taking a water pill as part of my medications for high blood pressure. I am hoping to get off this one the next time I go to the doctor as the only thing that seems to have made a difference in my blood pressure is the two good nights of sleep I had earlier this week. I actually had two days with multiple readings below 130. Before that, I have had maybe 5 readings in the 130s over the past 8 months, and nothing below 130.

I still do not understand why I get a lecture at every doctor appointment to drink more water, yet I am now taking a water pill. How can I have excessive water if I am not drinking enough?

I am keeping track of my blood pressure readings and my sleep nights (good, bad, great, etc), so I will be able to show her the pattern if it does prove to be a good pattern.

[zoocrewphoto]

This looks really cool! Thanks for attaching the photos of it.

How soon do insurance companies let you get a second mask? I don't want to trade in my mask, as it does work well. And the mouth only mask might not work for me as I would not actively block my nose. I'd rather have a backup option anyway. I would try it as pictured as I really believe I would stick with mouth breathing without any need to block my nose. And it would be nice not have anything on my nose. I tickle easily, and I find myself pawing at my mask and then having to decide if I can ignore the tickle or take off the mask and start over with the adjusting of the mask. That mask does like like it would be very comfortable for me.

[ChicagoGranny]

Is the gel with the spray and toothpaste?

In WalMart and Walgreen's it is with the mouthwashes. It is in a tube.

[Gerryk]

Zoo, I didn't see if you said you are using a hose cover or not. A hose cover may help with the rain out. With the humidifier set that high you are likely to get some moisture in the mask even if the room temp is set higher.

I wear a full face because I am a mouth breather and just can't shut my mouth.

If the moisure is forming in the hose, try some hose management. Raise the hose up over your headboard if you have one or try a hose lifter or hose buddy type thing. By raising the hose up, the moisture hopefully will run back into the chamber.

[DHosehead]

Thanks. This could very well be part of the problem. I do not like water, so I am always being told to drink more water. I did a case of Dasani today as it is a little better than most waters. I still don't enjoy it.

I am also taking a water pill as part of my medications for high blood pressure. I am hoping to get off this one the next time I go to the doctor as the only thing that seems to have made a difference in my blood pressure is the two good nights of sleep I had earlier this week. I actually had two days with multiple readings below 130. Before that, I have had maybe 5 readings in the 130s over the past 8 months, and nothing below 130.

I still do not understand why I get a lecture at every doctor appointment to drink more water, yet I am now taking a water pill. How can I have excessive water if I am not drinking enough?

I am keeping track of my blood pressure readings and my sleep nights (good, bad, great, etc), so I will be able to show her the pattern if it does prove to be a good pattern.

Whether you're on a water pill or not, unless you're taking it just at bedtime it's not going to make a difference with your CPAP dry mouth. I started CPAP therapy in February was not on any BP meds at all, sometimes I was taking allergy meds, but whether or not I was taking the allergy meds my mouth was dry in the morning. I had to start taking BP meds last month (a water pill and a calcium blocker) which I take every morning, and still with those and the allergy meds I have the same dry mouth when I wake up that I had when not taking any medication at all. I don't find it to be any better or worse in terms of dryness than before.

I already keep my mouth closed the entire night, which I trained myself to do when trying several other methods to prevent snoring before visiting a doctor and being diagnosed with sleep apnea. So my mouth has been closed all along. And I keep my tounge on the roof of my mouth. Which only results in my tounge being stuck to the roof of my mouth in the morning .

Personally, I'm going to try turning the heat on my humidifier off as was recommended and just have water in the chamber. And if that does not help I'll turn the heat back on and try Biotene gel or something. I always have my humidifier heat set to "3" and never liked it lower or higher than that, but I've never tried "0". So I'll give "0" a try tonight. We already have a "real" humidifier in the bedroom anyway for my wife, so there's plenty moisture in the air. (Never had any issues with "rainout" in the tube. I didn't even know that could happen till I saw it mentioned in a video, but I've never experienced rainout ever.)

One more thing regarding the water pill for high blood pressure, it does more than simply remove water. It also removes salt. As I'm sure you know, salt is one of our enemies in this battle with high blood pressure . When you drink more water, it helps the water pill remove both the water and salt, which helps your heart pump easier. The water pill is our friend and so is drinking water . Unless your BP goes VERY LOW, I mean like something well under 110/70, I doubt your doctor will ever take you off BP meds. In one month, with the meds, diet (mediteranian diet) and the fact I was already doing exercise, my BP is down to 118/78 and just yesterday my cardiologist simply told me that's good enough to not have to see him again for another year, but not good enough to get off BP meds. High BP is a gift passed down in my family for generations, I'm just glad I was able to avoid the pills till age 40. Most in my family had to get on pills much earlier.

[Maxie]

If you are taking a "water pill" and not drinking adequate amounts of water, that can account for your dry mouth.

[DHosehead]

Tried no heat last night, not fun. Woke up with a cool dry mouth instead of a warm dry mouth. Tongue firmly stuck to the roof of my mouth like always, lips sealed (sealed, not chapped) from dryness because my mouth remained closed while sleeping. The tongue and lips situation is usual for me, but it feels better warmer than cooler. So I'll be keeping the heat on .

I'm going to look for that Biotene gel today and Lord willing I'll try that tonight.

Biotene offers a $1 off coupon on their web site.

[DHosehead]

...
You should try Biotene gel. Somewhere in the forum is a nice post that taught me how to use it. It is very helpful (but not a perfect solution). I put it between my gums and teeth before masking up. It helps for quite a few hours and there is some still remaining at wake up time.

Also be sure to brush your teeth and floss before going to bed. Dry mouth can contribute to tooth decay and gum disease so hygiene is important. Biotene gel also helps to neutralize acids and has enzymes that kill harmful bacteria.

...

I've been using the Biotene gel the past couple nights. Seems to work best for me when I put it on the top and bottom front gums, the front of the gums, so it's between the lips and gums. So I usually end up putting some Biotene gels on my tonuge and using my tongue to rub it onto my front top gums and teech, and bottom inside lip which gets it onto the bottom area between teeth and gums there. This works well for me. As mentioned, it's not "perfect" but it's a heck of an improvement. Enough of an improvement for me to be just fine with it.

Thank you for mentioning this.

[DHosehead]

So it just so happens to be time for my 3 month mask renewal. Since I originally got the full face mask because the sleep tech recommended it, although I never open my mouth when sleeping, I picked up a nasal mask yesterday. I got the TrueBlue Gel Nasal mask & headgear.

I'm sorry for folks who can't use nasal masks, but after one night I know I'm not going back to full face masks again. With the TrueBlue mask I had very little issues with leaks and that's just the first night. I never work up once because of a leak. I was able to move around, turn on the side, to my back and then the other side, no leaking. No need for any chin strap, I didn't get one. My mouth never got dry, no more Biotene .

With the full mask, I can't say I know "how" my mouth was getting dry, but I can say that both my sleep tech and the shop I get CPAP supplies from all say the dry mouth issue is very common at higher pressure settings, even for nose breathers. The person who fitted me for the mask yesterday felt that I'd have dry mouth even with a nasal mask at my pressure setting (10 - 14), but I did not.

So this dry mouth issue is resolved for me and I'm able to sleep easier.

[stryker5777 (returns)]

Okaay couple ideas on this. As its something im dealing with right now. I am at a hotel and dont have what i really need to solve this. However. I think from my years of cpaping a second humidfer would help in line with your current one.

Im currently using an old res med humid aire at home. It does exceed the max lenght of hosing, but my respronics one auto doesnt mind. I would just make sure that you are claer nasally as possible too. I have used the biotene gel before am going to try it again...

Also i would try breath rite strips too. Im going to pick up some when i get home.