Two related full face mask problems

[Ricoh]

Hiya! I have a Quattro FX mask, same type I've had for the past couple years. I've tried other masks (various FFM, nasal cushion), but the Quattro FX seems to work the best for me. Still, I have a couple of minor, but nagging issues:

• I frequently get leaks just under the bridge of my nose on the same side. Nowhere else, ever, unless I really mash my face into the pillow or something obvious like that.
• If I open my mouth (to puff my cheeks up to minimize leaks in #1), I still breathe through my nose but the air whooshing through dries my lips out and my teeth stick to my bottom lip (or the soft skin just inside my mouth). They stick so bad that they pull the skin off if I don't apply moisture and detach them very carefully. I have sores from accidental movements during sleep.

If I didn't have problem #1, I wouldn't have problem #2, either. Despite septoplasty surgery for a very bad deviated septum (which helped immensely!) I do still get congested and mouth breathe occasionally (maybe 1/7 nights), so I can't wear a chin strap or nasal mask. I have a humidifier, and I have it cranked to the max. However, mouth breathing (or air escaping through my mouth with nose breathing) is not the problem, here--I wake up breathing through my nose, teeth are stuck, but my mouth itself is perfectly moist. It's just my lips/teeth.

Mask adjustment: I've had several fittings from the professionals, but my best results have come from doing it myself. I have the headgear pretty tight--tight enough to get the red triangle face all day. I don't care much about that, just the leaks and lip injury. I get fewer leaks on my back, but they still happen enough to be a nuisance.

This problem stems (I think) from a slight facial asymmetry (common) plus a fairly pronounced indentation between that part of my nose and the cheek on that side.

That brings me to my questions. An answer to either of these would help:

1. Is there some kind of material I could put inside the rubber liner on my left side by the bridge of my nose that would thicken that side to get a better fit to my face? Perhaps some kind of soft rubber or foam in between the layers of the liner? I'd rather avoid commercial solutions if there's a quick home remedy I could try.
2. Is there something I can put on my teeth or my inner lip at bedtime to prevent the teeth sticking for an 8-12 hour sleep (sleep disorder--sometimes I'm out for a long time). I use chapstick regularly, and even if I really lather it on at bedtime, it doesn't help, because it won't stick to the wet inner lip, but my teeth sure do once it dries out a bit.

I might not need #2 if #1 stops the leaks, so I can sleep with my mouth closed again.

[Sclark08]

I recently tried a new product called cpap seal. They have nasal and full face models .
Check out cpapseal.com
Also overtightening can cause leaks. It took me 2 years to find the best mask for me. I have an ultra mirage full face and innomed hybrid nadal mask. I switch off and it makes it a little easier to deal with it.
Best wishes to you

[Sheriff Buford]

Answer to question #1: there is a silicone nose pad that may work for you. Cpap.com sells them. It's called the Gecko Nasal Pad.

Sheriff

[MbMinx]

You might try Biotene gel for your dry mouth. OK, I know that you said you mouth is moist...Try putting the gel just along your lower teeth/lip area.
Other, strange thought. Have you considered putting vaseline on your front teeth? Crazy, but it might work.

[Ricoh]

Thanks everyone. I'll look into these suggestions. The Quattro FX is often derided for its lack of forehead arm (supposedly resulting in more leaks), but after trying more than one mask with forehead arms, the FX has always leaked less for me--both with the looser ("proper") DME-adjusted fittings, and my own heretical snug fit.

Yeah, I know, my face seems to go against all conventional wisdom: "forehead arms are better," and "looser leaks less," but after all this time, I guess my face knows what it wants. I've tried loose, snug, snug on one side (i.e., pulled over to one side), snug on top/loose on bottom and vice-versa, and several shades of gray in between each option, with varying degrees of success. Maybe if I get a good silicone/gel pad of some kind like a couple of you suggested, I'll be able to relax the straps. All of the yanking I do on the straps has been to prevent leaks from that one spot, on one side of my face.

[Ricoh]

Other, strange thought. Have you considered putting vaseline on your front teeth? Crazy, but it might work.

I have, actually. I had the jar in my hand with a goofy top-toothed grin before I saw the "external use only" warning on the label, which scared me off. I had heard of girls doing that in beauty pageants, but smiling for a few hours at a time in a pageant a few times a year seems different. I need something I can safely swallow/absorb for 8-12 hours a night, every night, presumably for the rest of my life (or at least until something better comes along), so that's why I decided against it. I might still give it a try for a couple of nights anyway, just to see if something similar would be helpful.

[ChicagoGranny]

Biotene gel for your dry mouth

The Biotene formula was changed and it is too thin.

This is a better gel for CPAP users - http://www.drugstore.com/orajel-dry-mou ... tid=183812

[Greg Riddle]

I use quatro fx and have similar issues. I recently tried the air fit 10. It it's very good no leaking issues and the straps are no where near as tight as the fx

[library lady]

I use the F10 as well, the upper strap does a good job of holding the mask in place at the nose bridge. I had Quattro Air before the F10 came out, and it leaked all over like crazy, so I started using mask liners, and from then on I have had very little trouble with leaks. Maybe all you need is the nose pad that another poster mentioned, but if there are leaks in other places you might want to try those.

[Janknitz]

I have, actually. I had the jar in my hand with a goofy top-toothed grin before I saw the "external use only" warning on the label, which scared me off. I had heard of girls doing that in beauty pageants, but smiling for a few hours at a time in a pageant a few times a year seems different. I need something I can safely swallow/absorb for 8-12 hours a night, every night, presumably for the rest of my life (or at least until something better comes along), so that's why I decided against it. I might still give it a try for a couple of nights anyway, just to see if something similar would be helpful.

Coconut oil. It's actually GOOD for you, and antibacterial.

Vaseline is a petroleum product. You certainly don't want to be swallowing it (or absorbing it through your skin).

I'm not sure how well it will last all night in any case. Coconut oil becomes liquid at about 73 degrees. But try it. And if it doesn't work to coat your teeth, try a technique called "oil pulling" right before bed. You take about 1 tsp of coconut oil in your mouth and swish it around for 10 to 15 minutes. DO NOT SWALLOW because oil pulling is grabbing all the nasties in your mouth. Spit it out. But that should leave you with a light coating of oil all over your teeth and may do the trick.