Dry Mouth Continues

[palerider]

A full face is supposed to allow mouth breathers to keep their mouths open. The humidifier is supposed to keep your nose and moth from drying out, no? Not understanding why, at an 8 setting, it is not doing that.

because mouths aren't designed to be breathed through.

[lwieland11]

Haha, well, what's a full face mask for then?

[Goofproof]

Haha, well, what's a full face mask for then?

It's to keep the machine air trapped in your airway to help hold your airway open, isn't that what you want, that's what XPAP is for. That's why we use it! Jim

[palerider]

Haha, well, what's a full face mask for then?

if you haven't figured that out by now, there's really nothing I can do to help.

noses are evolved to be breathed through, they have structures in them to humidify the air going into the lungs so that the lungs function as well as possible.

mouths don't, which is why mouth breathers have to close their mouths regularly to re-moisten them.

[lwieland11]

Well, I've been misled then by my doctor and my DME, both of whom said full face masks are to allow mouth breathers to sleep with their mouths open. So, you're saying that both my sleep doctor and my DME are wrong?

[palerider]

So, you're saying that both my sleep doctor and my DME are wrong?

I'm saying:

because mouths aren't designed to be breathed through.

noses are evolved to be breathed through, they have structures in them to humidify the air going into the lungs so that the lungs function as well as possible.

mouths don't, which is why mouth breathers have to close their mouths regularly to re-moisten them.

[Jay Aitchsee]

Haha, well, what's a full face mask for then?

A FFM will help prevent the degradation of therapy that could be caused by mouth leaks, or by inhaling through the mouth, when using a nasal mask. A FFM will not prevent mouth breathing and the subsequent dry mouth that could occur. Machine humidification may not have the capacity to overcome this dryness as it is designed to moisten the nasal passages and not the increased volume of the oral cavity.
Some people continue to use chin straps and even tape with a FFM to help prevent dry mouth.
Listen to PR.

[Goofproof]

Well, I've been misled then by my doctor and my DME, both of whom said full face masks are to allow mouth breathers to sleep with their mouths open. So, you're saying that both my sleep doctor and my DME are wrong?

Not so much mis-lead by your doctor and DME, more like your inability to reason. by covering the mouth hole, air is blocked from exhausting the treatment pressure you need to expand your airway. You still need to breath thru your nose because that's what noses are designed for they filter the incoming air and add moisture to the air, so your lungs don't get like a paper sack.

I realize you like to argue, but until you find something better, we're done. Jim
You might try listening for a change.

[crestifer]

i seem to see a trend on this board:

person with issue describes problem, asks for help from pool of people who have long experiences with CPAP machines and similar problems.

person who has experienced the issue before and solved or at least dealt with the issue offers help and advice.

original person questions why helpful person is suggesting x to deal with issue.

helpful person restates why x is a sound suggestion to help with the issue.

original person questions why helpful person suggesting x is not suggesting something different than x

helpful person states again why x is the thing to do.

original person still doubts x.

other people from pool of experienced CPAP users chime in to reinforce x.

original person still doubts x.

helpful persons a, b, c, d quote from earlier suggestions in attempt to get original person to read suggestion x once again.

original person still doubts x.

rinse, repeat.

[crestifer]

anyways.

lots of good suggestions in this thread thus far.

i'd suggest OP go back and read them, perhaps a few times.

i use a full face mask and i've this problem also. i've had good luck with sleeping more on my side, which tends to help my jaw from drifting down and my mouth opening all night.

i've also started using a cervical collar that seems to help keep my mouth closed more, though i still do fight nasal congestion so i'm still trying to find the decongestant that works best for me, i've seasonal allergies.

i've also found that finding the right full face mask will help this issue. a few masks i've tried, no matter what...my mouth would drift open at night and the mask would be unsealed or i'd wake up with terrible dry mouth because my mouth would be wide open all night.

with the amara view and the airfit f20, i've found two masks that retain their seal all night and i tend to have far less dry mouth. my humidifier is usually on about 5-6 and i use a heated hose set to auto.

i've also used the xylomints and biotine at times when i was having a lot of issues with dry mouth.

[palerider]

i seem to see a trend on this board:

person with issue describes problem, asks for help from pool of people who have long experiences with CPAP machines and similar problems. ... original person still doubts x.

rinse, repeat.

there's an important component that you may not have been here long enough to see, but it's "Helpful person(s) realize they're wasting their time trying to help someone who's too thick, and move on to helping more receptive people."

that stage is usually pretty quiet and subtle.

[crestifer]

there's an important component that you may not have been here long enough to see, but it's "Helpful person(s) realize they're wasting their time trying to help someone who's too thick, and move on to helping more receptive people."

that stage is usually pretty quiet and subtle.

i may or may not have seen it.

[crestifer]

"doctor, it hurts when i do this..."

"well, don't do that"

"yeah, but i want to do this...what else can i do?"

"don't do that"

"but, i want to..."

"then it will hurt"

"but how do i make it not hurt"

"don't do it"

"but i want to"

[Goofproof]

"doctor, it hurts when i do this..."

"well, don't do that"

"yeah, but i want to do this...what else can i do?"

"don't do that"

"but, i want to..."

"then it will hurt"

"but how do i make it not hurt"

"don't do it"

"but i want to"

Isn't that a sign of insanity, doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result, or is it stupidity? Being old, I forget! Jim

[Julie]

You can still have a dry mouth if you mouth breathe with a FF mask (but not lose therapy air), but the humidifier is to 'treat' that air, not automatically humidify your mouth totally, so you may need to use something else like Biotene, or whatever else is recommended.