Still having issues with dry mouth!!

[JackRyan53]

Still looking for some "Out of the Box" Ideas to combat dry mouth. I warm weather months I wake up every night with cotton mouth, etc. I have a FFM mask the is excellent. Airfit F20. Usually under 10 leaks a night so I don't think its the typical leak problem. I've tried all of the sprays, etc. but to no avail. I do have allergy issues and use meds during different times of year.

It seems like it's predominant in the summer when the air conditioning is on. I have a Resmed Bipap with humidifier. Hot weather months not compatible with humidifier?

Thought about taping my mouth even with the FFM but that seems to defeat the purpose of a Full Face Mask.

Love to see some discussion on this....

Many Thanks!!

Kevin T

[ChicagoGranny]

Here are some suggestions.

Hot weather months not compatible with humidifier?

The purpose of the humidifier is to keep the nasal passages from drying. When we mouth breathe, there is just not enough humidity to keep the mouth from drying.

Turn the humidity level down one notch each night. As long as you don't get dry nasal passages, keep turning it down. I don't need a humidifier - it stays unfilled 365 days per year.

I've tried all of the sprays, etc. but to no avail.

Sprays keep the mouth moist for what, 30 seconds? I use GC Dry Mouth Gel. Other brands of gel are too thin.

Thought about taping my mouth even with the FFM but that seems to defeat the purpose of a Full Face Mask.

With CPAP, if something works, just do it. I use Somnifix mouth tape underneath my FFM.

(I probably have Sjogrens syndrome. The drugs for Sjogrens have such bad side effects, I've never been tested for Sjorgrens. I just manage it - Xylimelts, dry mouth lozenges and sugarless gum all day long.)

[JackRyan53]

he purpose of the humidifier is to keep the nasal passages from drying. When we mouth breathe, there is just not enough humidity to keep the mouth from drying.

Turn the humidity level down one notch each night. As long as you don't get dry nasal patches, keep turning it down. I don't need a humidifier - it stays unfilled 365 days per year.

Excellent suggestion! I started to try something like that but never followed through. I just have my humidifier maxed out all the time. In the summer, it just seems the air conditioning doesn't to play well with the humidifier. Sometimes I can sleep through the dryness if I can minimize the effect.

With CPAP, if something works, just do it. I use Somnifix mouth tape underneath my FFM.

I need to keep playing with this when I take my naps. Even tried a chin strap with FFM but it was to bulky to be comfy. Nice to run into someone that actually does this.

[ChicagoGranny]

BTW, there is something so standard here, that I forgot it. In case no one else has mentioned it, practice placing the tip of your tongue on the roof of the mouth near the front. Do it when you mask up and while you are falling asleep. If you wake during the night, repeat the process. It can also be practiced during the day. Some claim they learned to beat mouthbreathing this way. In any case, it does tend to pull the tongue forward and away from the airway. Even with my mouth taped, I practice this.

Nice to run into someone that actually does this.

Not the kind of honor to be appreciated.

[zonker]

xylimelts.

[clownbell]

@ JackRyan53 -

We can't be sure what kind of machine you have. IF IT IS A RESMED, the leaks posted on MyAir/OSCAR are the Large Leaks. ResMed machines report ONLY the Large Leaks. So if you are seeing a leak rate of 10, the "real picture" is that you are producing 24LPM of expected leaks (engineered in to account for expelling CO2) plus 10 LPM of Large Leaks. If that excess 10 LPM persists for long, leaks are problematic.

I am on a ResMed machine. When Large Leaks are well controlled, I don't have dry mouth. While not an expert, my theory is that Large Leaks result in the machine producing large quantities of air (trying to compensate for the Large Leaks), and this large volume of air produces dry mouth. Just my theory, but it makes sense in my mind.

If your machine is NOT ResMed, then things are entirely different and this information does not apply to you.

[Pugsy]

@ JackRyan53 -

We can't be sure what kind of machine you have. IF IT IS A RESMED, the leaks posted on MyAir/OSCAR are the Large Leaks. ResMed machines report ONLY the Large Leaks. So if you are seeing a leak rate of 10, the "real picture" is that you are producing 24LPM of expected leaks (engineered in to account for expelling CO2) plus 10 LPM of Large Leaks. If that excess 10 LPM persists for long, leaks are problematic.

I am on a ResMed machine. When Large Leaks are well controlled, I don't have dry mouth. While not an expert, my theory is that Large Leaks result in the machine producing large quantities of air (trying to compensate for the Large Leaks), and this large volume of air produces dry mouth. Just my theory, but it makes sense in my mind.

If your machine is NOT ResMed, then things are entirely different and this information does not apply to you.

You are incorrect in how ResMed reports leaks either on the machine or the software.

ResMed only reports excess leak...that being leaks above the expected vent rate for that mask and that pressure used.

Pretty much everything you have said is incorrect or misleading.
1...not everyone has an expected vent rate of 24 L/min. I don't know where you got that idea and it makes all your other conclusions really misleading and incorrect....
which makes the rest of your statement about 10 L/min reported on a ResMed machine being a problematic.
You are assuming facts not in evidence.

Maybe you should take some time and read past explanations of how ResMed reports leaks and what it means and how vent rates vary so much.
Also....The machine's won't produce large quantities of air to try to compensate for large leaks either. That's not the reason for dry mouth. Most likely the dry mouth is from mouth breathing and the mouth breathing causes the large leak.
Most machines today actually reduce the air flow and/or even pressure sometimes in an effort to get large leaks back under control...they won't try to fix large leaks with more pressure.

I know you are new and likely don't understand a lot of this stuff but this time it's pretty much totally incorrect and could potentially cause someone to worry when there is simply no need to worry.

10 L/min excess leak on a ResMed report...well within the machine's ability to compensate. Absolutely zero need to ever worry about a consistent 10 L/min leak rate on a ResMed report...either OSCAR or on the LCD screen.
24 L/min isn't the vent rate...it's the line in the sand where ResMed puts the large leak line. They have to have it somewhere.
Vent rates vary a LOT depending on mask type and pressure used...vent rates are expected and NOT part of any large leak.
People have to look at the mask paperwork to figure out vent rates or use a machine that will also report vent rates to get an approx vent rate.
Just because ResMed uses the 24 L/min line in the sand doesn't mean that everyone's vent rate is 24 L/min either.

[JackRyan53]

@ JackRyan53 -

We can't be sure what kind of machine you have. IF IT IS A RESMED, the leaks posted on MyAir/OSCAR are the Large Leaks. ResMed machines report ONLY the Large Leaks. So if you are seeing a leak rate of 10, the "real picture" is that you are producing 24LPM of expected leaks (engineered in to account for expelling CO2) plus 10 LPM of Large Leaks. If that excess 10 LPM persists for long, leaks are problematic.

I am on a ResMed machine. When Large Leaks are well controlled, I don't have dry mouth. While not an expert, my theory is that Large Leaks result in the machine producing large quantities of air (trying to compensate for the Large Leaks), and this large volume of air produces dry mouth. Just my theory, but it makes sense in my mind.

If your machine is NOT ResMed, then things are entirely different and this information does not apply to you.

I do have a Resmed S9!!

[Sheriff Buford]

I have had dry mouth due to mouth breathing, ever since I started using cpap. Recently, my doctor prescribed me a medication in which one of the side effects are dry mouth. So I got a double wammy! The medicine keeps my mouth dry all day because I take the medicine three times a day. I looked up the info on the medication and they recommend using some sort of mints during the day.... the non-sugary ones of course ! I got a big bag of the soft peppermints which helps, especially during the stupid mask mandate time. Early on, I got used to the dry mouth from the cpap. The first cup of coffee fixed that. Can you live with it?

Sheriff

[JackRyan53]

Wild Cherry Lozenge then back to sleep is a bit of a lifesaver!!