My teeth hurt??

[jrose]

Hi. I am 19 years old and have only had my CPAP machine for about two months. I wear a full mask that covers my nose and my mouth but I have a reoccurring problem where I wake up and my bottom teeth are so sore. I don’t really understand it but if anyone has any suggestions I would be so appreciative!!

[Pugsy]

Welcome to the forum.

Something is wrong with the mask fit if your teeth are hurting. It's too tight on the lower jaw.

[D.H.]

Probably, you're grinding your teeth. I suggest seeing a dentist to get an appliance to protect your teeth. Bring the mask (not necessarily the machine) with you to the dentist so that (s)he can make or order a device that can be worn simultaneously with the the mask.

[LSAT]

The bottom part of most FF Masks rest in the curve between the lower lip and the chin. If the mask is too tight, it will press on the lower teeth. YOu might try loosening the mask a bit. Most masks are not made to be worn tight. Please fill in your equipment profile so we can see what equipment you are using.
I don't think "teeth grinding" is your problem....don't rush to your dentist as DH recommends.

[ChicagoGranny]

don't rush to your dentist as DH recommends.

+1

[salinas212]

As one that has personally experienced this half a dozen or so times since I can clearly relate. And while it seems like tooth pain I think palpating/massaging gums below lower front teeth you'll establish its actually gum pain more than actual tooth pain. Early on I was able to pinpoint a cause due to events where my FFM chin-surround slipped upwards and nestled into the divet between lower lip base and the protuberance of my chin. It was particularly noticeable with a too-small FFM but intermittent tho still present with a properly sized one. Tight/loose fitting was equally capable of slippage and subsequent pain throughout the following day. Sometimes it was a little sore, sometimes moderate and occasionally excruciating. For me XS Tylenol worked best... sometimes one and on bad days two. During the 2-pill-a-day regimens I knew I had to determine a cure rather than keep just treating the pain which is when I discovered the root cause... least for me.

I experimented with tightening/loosening ad infinitum but nothing worked continuously as I would still experience the pain on occasion. About 2-3 months into it I was able to adjust my quest by infiltrating my conscious thoughts into my slight waking moments in the middle of the night. I started to become aware of slight mask slippage and gum sensitivity at its onset rather than waking in the morning being so sore I could only drink coffee yet not bite thru a gently toasted slice of bread due to pain. Sometimes it was mild and gone within an hour or two upon awakening. Other times intense and lasted all day. Once it precluded even wearing the mask to sleep because donning the mask was too painful.

That's when I started wondering if it could possibly be mask related rather than an errant 2 week old popcorn husk/hull being trapped in some obscure gum pocket in my lower teeth that no amount of light, mirrors in front of another mirror would reveal to me. Flossing didn't help nor did water flossing as I've been a vigorous WaterPik user for decades... once a day... EVERY day! Tho admittedly my string floss efforts have suffered and diminished to once/twice a week.

Longer story short I determined that on some nights my mask chin-surround would slip upwards in my case and nestle into that all-too familiar concave spot/crease that I've now learned to wake and correct before it gets to the point of negatively affecting my entire next day with painful lower teeth/gums. I now wear & use my FFM 'under' my chin instead of 'on' my chin and have not suffered the problem even once in 2+ months.

Not saying this is OP's or anyone else's problem. Just mine and one I've dealt with on this journey.

[ChicagoGranny]

I now wear & use my FFM 'under' my chin instead of 'on' my chin

Jrose should fit and adjust the mask in the way it is intended to be used. That should take care of his problem without resorting to unconventional goose chases.

[prodigyplace]

I now wear & use my FFM 'under' my chin instead of 'on' my chin

Jrose should fit and adjust the mask in the way it is intended to be used. That should take care of his problem without resorting to unconventional goose chases.

Agreed!

There are full face masks that are designed to go under the chin. Here is one. https://www.cpap.com/productpage/fisher ... -mask.html

[chunkyfrog]

A (very) few full face masks are designed to wear UNDER the chin.
Sadly, none to fit me.
Depending on your facial structure, a few other full face masks may be worn contrary to design.
The bullfrog wore a large Fitlife total face mask under his chin with great success.
Nobody is watching, so if breaking the rules makes stuff work--DO IT.

[salinas212]

Thank you Ms Frog and as my pulmonologist said when told of my issue: "a sealed mask is a sealed mask and we can argue with many things however success shouldn't be counted among them." And I think most people here, Ms Frog & OP inclusive recognize a parable on sight and especially one addressed specifically by epilogue disclaimer.

[Janknitz]

I had a lot of tooth pain from a too tight mask and shifting of my teeth since I sleep on my side. Even though I agree with the idea that overtightening the mask is not a good idea, I found to keep the pressure off the bridge of my nose in a FF mask I had to really crank down on the lower straps and it caused me problems.

Do you really need a FF mask? You might be better with a nasal mask or a nasal pillow mask. If you CAN breathe through your nose, but just find it hard to maintain the mouth seal at night you can learn to use a nasal or pillow mask. You may need tape to seal your mouth or just keep your jaw from dropping (some people have success with chin straps or cervical collars, or both). You can also try to train yourself to hold your tongue in the right place and breathe through your nose all night by practicing it all day except when you are eating or talking. After a few days it becomes habitual and may carry over into the night. It's worth a try.

I am so much more comfortable in a nasal mask (I use the Dreamwear) and my dentist really sees the difference, too. I do keep a FF mask around just for when I have a cold or seasonal allergies and cannot breathe through my nose.

[chunkyfrog]

Yes, she said tape.
Many of us have tried it--some use it regularly.
If covering your mouth makes you uneasy, take a look at chin up strips.