Any mouth breathers not using full face?

[ChrisW]

Another lifetime mouth breather here who just started using his CPAP three days ago.

After reading this thread, I started with the nasal pillow (ResMed P10) to see if I could go all night with it. My health equipment provider gave me 30 days to return it if I didn't like it; otherwise, I'd be stuck with it for 6 months before insurance would pay to replace it.

I attributed my mouth breathing at an early age to severe allergies, which I've recently started using a nasal spray for (Nasacort Allergy) and allergy shots. Working with my allergist really helped opened up my sinuses to the point where I felt like I could breath through my nose for the first time. Before, I always felt like I was suffocating.

Still, I was very anxious before my first night with the CPAP, because I've been a mouth-breather all my life and a very loud snorer.

I spent most of that evening trying to breath only through my nose in order to practice. I also spent 20-30 minutes in bed with the mask on so that I could get used to the feeling.

Long story short, I made it through the night with my mouth closed! My leakage data also looks pretty good, from what I can tell.

I'm now going on Day 4 with the nasal pillows and no issues so far.

[Quickstrike]

I use a Swift FX with good success. I breathe so much better out of my nose now and trained myself not to mouth breathe.

[DD_73]

I am also a mouth breather. Have tried several ffm including F+P simplus without success. Swift fx is the only nasal pillow mask I have tried and learned to like. I tape my mouth as chin straps doesn't work. Will look into soft cervical thing you guys mentioned.

[julchek]

What is this Cervical Collar I see mentioned several times? Not the apparatus used when you get whiplash right? Can't be that big thing... I'm new to the cpap world less than a week. I have a full face mask because Im a mouth breather. I woke up twice with the bottom of my mouth outside the mask - lol. It's also really hot! Im going to try the nasal mask. Also...what is everyone taping their mouth closed with?? Duct tape?? - hahahaha

[klv329]

Micropore tape (3M Nexcare durable cloth tape) from walmart - I have to use water to pull it off and it leaves gummy reaidue. If I pull it off dry it leaves a little rash. Used to use durapore tape from walmart, but then I started slobbering too much.

Yes, the soft cervical collars. Fairly cheap on amazon at about $5 each. I stopped using them -- for some reason my chin isn't dropping like it used to.

[LSAT]

What is this Cervical Collar I see mentioned several times? Not the apparatus used when you get whiplash right? Can't be that big thing... I'm new to the cpap world less than a week. I have a full face mask because Im a mouth breather. I woke up twice with the bottom of my mouth outside the mask - lol. It's also really hot! Im going to try the nasal mask. Also...what is everyone taping their mouth closed with?? Duct tape?? - hahahaha

https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/otc-p ... 77-product

[poppi2]

I use 3M Microfoam tape. First tried the blue painters tape, but wouldn't hold for me. Then tried 3M Micropore but it tended to remove layers of skin. It did stick the bestest, sticking similar to how ChinUps stick. I found that the Microfoam works best for me. With all of these tapes plus some drugstore generic tapes, they mostly come loose due to excess slobbering.

Luckily, I found an old thread where ChunkyFrog sealed her green lips using Poligrip Strips. I cut the strips lengthways in two. Then use one and a half between the lips. It took some practice, but I've mastered the art of applying and it rarely fails to seal. I still have to tape and use a chinstrap. With the Poligrip strips, I might not need the chinstrap. But I use the velcro on it to adjust tension on my P10 pillows.

My pre-sleep routine takes time but it works.

Good luck, Earl

[Guest]

What is this Cervical Collar I see mentioned several times? Not the apparatus used when you get whiplash right? Can't be that big thing..

Yes exactly. It can be warm esp. during the summer months but do give it a try if you have one. Or make your very own chin strap using something you already have or even use an ace bandage.

Also...what is everyone taping their mouth closed with?? Duct tape?? - hahahaha

You can if you want but most use painters tape or the micropore mentioned. They also make things called chin ups which is also tape.

I taught myself to keep my mouth closed by using a combination of things and believe it or not try one of those boil n bite sporting mouth guards. Even if its not boil n bite it forces you to keep your mouth closed. Keep a case for it by the bedside within arms reach <grin>

Over time that will retrain your brain.

Or you can get a bite guard for bruxism from your dentist for about $300.

[TedVPAP]

I was at 19 cm-H2O for 6 years and the only mask type that worked for me was pillows. Pillows seal better as pressure goes up. All other masks seal worse as pressure goes up; requiring tighter straps to resist the pressure force.

Now that the mask leaking problem was solved, the next challenge was mouth leaking. Taping lips worked. I settled on using the Ultimate Chin Strap (lined with a clean sock).

I recently switched to AUTOCPAP and my 90% value is down to 17 cm-H2O. MUCH less air ingestion. Leak rate is zero. Very happy. At some point I plan to try sleeping without the Ultimate Chin Strap to see if I still need it. My guess is that I still do, but I want to see.

[julchek]

Well I tried my Mom's nasal mask last night and it worked like a charm! No tape on mouth, no collar on! What a difference. My mouth stayed shut too because of the pressure/air coming in from the nasal part. SO glad I tried it! I'm ordering up one today! So glad I found this site or I never would have tried. I figured a mouth breather is always a mouth breather and the nasal mask won't work! Y A Y

[Shnorky]

Switching between a full face mask and nasal pillows here.
Funny thing: with a ffm, I breathe with my mouth, and drool (a LOT!), to the point that without a sponge in the mask, it wakes me up.
With the nasal pillows, my tongue just fills my mouth, lips stay closed, no drooling. It took a few nights to adapt first, but now I can switch between both masks every night.

[Pugsy]

Well I tried my Mom's nasal mask last night and it worked like a charm! No tape on mouth, no collar on! What a difference. My mouth stayed shut too because of the pressure/air coming in from the nasal part. SO glad I tried it! I'm ordering up one today! So glad I found this site or I never would have tried. I figured a mouth breather is always a mouth breather and the nasal mask won't work! Y A Y

Good for you. Aren't you glad you tried the other mask?

This mouth breathing thing comes with a big YMMV sticker. I also thought I was a mouth breather because I would wake up with massive dry mouth and a sore and very dry throat...this was pre cpap. My nose wasn't a problem (no real congestion issues) either.
What ended up being the deal with the mouth breathing cause was the sleep apnea itself. I was gasping for air all night long and the sore throat was partly from that gasping and partly from snoring so bad my airway was raw.
I refused to start with a full face mask though...major problems with it resting on my nose and back then there was only one full face mask that didn't rest on the nose and I just made my mind up that I was going to use nasal pillows come hell or high water since my nose was always open.
And I made it work...did some taping to keep the mouth closed until I broke the habit of mouth breathing that I got from gasping for air from the apneas.

If any mask looks interesting and a person wants to try it...they should try it. Want is a good enough reason. Now will it always work out well...no but you never know until you try.

Unless someone simply can't get enough air through the nose only to be comfortable and they have a physical need to mouth breathe because of the congestion ....there's no reason not to try something that interests them. You never know...might get lucky like you did last night. Find out there's a whole new world out there in mask choices.

[dreamsinger]

I've been on CPAP for 25 years and never knew I was getting mouth leakage until I got a new AirSense with a P10 mask. My thought it was normal so she never said anything but the link showed me that my stats were pretty bad. I'm bearded so pillows work best from that standpoint. I've been trying chin straps and they cure the mouth leakage but haven't been happy with fit. I have a Sleepwell Pro medium that's just too small. Any suggestions on straps?

[jhuckabyjr]

I'm currently into my second year of PAP. Started out on a FFM. Didn't like that, the mask consistently leaked. The DME provider insisted that was what I needed. I did my own homework and tried the Phillips Respironics premium chinstrap, in conjunction with a nasal mask. Worked fairly well, but the mask seemed to put a lot of pressure on my upper lip against my teeth. Researched a little more, and tried the Dreamwear nasal pillow. This was like heaven for a while, and I got good results on Sleepyhead, but at some point the leak rate went up and stayed, no matter what I adjusted on the machine. I tried a new hose, but that didn't make a difference. New nasal pillow, still not an improvement. So, I picked up on a few posts about the Dreamwear gel pillows, that would work with the current Dreamwear headgear I have. Bingo, the winning combo. Sort of cumbersome to have a chinstrap AND the Dreamwear, but I'm so far really happy with the gel pillows, and leak rate and AHI have decreased dramatically. I tried the Swift LT pillows, but never really got comfortable with them. Thankfully, Amazon has had what I've wanted to try without me having to go through the DME provider. Downside is insurance doesn't cover anything before a $5000 deductible, so everything has been out of pocket.