cotton mouth

[Bleary in Boulder]

Does anyone have a solution for "cotton mouth"? I am a mouth breather, use a chin strap, still haven't found a totally comfortable mask. Yet, I always wake within 2 hours with dry mouth even with a humidifier.

[LinkC]

Nope! "Chinstrap" and "humidifier" pretty much exhausted my list of preventatives...

[pdean44]

Well there are those that also use taping to stop the mouth leaks. so there are some innovative techniques that folks use here to help stop mouth leaks. I am sure you will be hearing a lot on that before too much longer.

[JohnBFisher]

I don't know if you use a full face mask (FFM). Probably not since you mention chinstrop. A FFM helps. But does not fully cure it. But it's better than only a nasal mask if you keep having problems breathing through your mouth ... or having the air blow out through it.

[dsm]

Bleary,

I use a F/F mask & often experience that dry mouth. Interestingly, if that dryness continues for a long while it can also create a pain in your chest (which can actually feel a little bit like a mild heart attack (angina)).

This pain in the chest syndrome has been mentioned a lot over the years & most replies suggest it is just getting used to the cpap adding extra air but I believe it goes beyond that into actually drying the lungs which then react with the sensation of pain & constriction.

In regard to how to deal with it. Sealing one's mouth & using a nasal mask is one solution as the nose has its mechanisms for moisturizing the air. Continued mouth breathing doesn't & that is when a good H/H is important. Some of us swap out the standard H/H that comes with the cpap machine & use the excellent F&P HC150 which holds lots of water & adjusts its temperature during the night.

Re the pain in the chest syndrome, I have found that when it occurs I get up go to the fridge & have a good drink of water & that seems to get me past it.

Good luck with your cotton wool mouth, it is a bummer

DSM

[Ryckman]

I have the same troubles. I found that despite the setting on my built-in humidifier, I still wake up with a dry mouth or sinuses. I have had success with these steps and I suggest you try it...

1. "Pre"-humidify your bedroom. Buy a tabletop humidifier from CVS/Target/Walgreens/Etc.
2. Buy a humidistat (it tells you the real room humidity) for about $10-$30 depending on how fancy you want to be.
3. Using these two devices, keep your room humidity between 40% and 55%.

If your room is to arid (15-25% humidity) your sinuses/mouth will dry out. If it's too humid (60%+) mold/mildew could start to grow (not to mention, your skin will feel sticky).

I live in Maryland and here, during winter, my house was down to 20% or lower during the driest months. IT WAS KILLING ME!!! No matter how awesome your CPAP machine's humidifier is, that little sucker can't compete with your cavernous, desert-like, bedroom.

Now, I sleep much better! I hope this helps you.

[lorri214]

I also have a dry mouth. I don't think I sleep with my mouth open or they would have told me that in my sleep study. I know the tech looked for that. Also, my meds cause a dry mouth, but now my mouth is even drier! I have to sip on water when I wake up at night and in the morning. If your mouth is dry, could it mean you have the wrong face piece. I know nothing about all the technical terms since this is all NEW to me...

[CMorrison64]

My dentist, when I told her I would be getting a CPAP, recommended Biotene mouthwash. It's a bit pricey but I am a mouth breather and it really has helped me tremendously. Also she warned me more frequent visits might be a good idea as CPAP users have higher incidents of decay.

[kwikwater]

I went for my first 4 years with a nasal mask and a chinstrap and got along just fine. I knew I was a mouth breather and felt I'd solved it all with the chinstrap and the ENT that got me into CPAP convinced me that I'd train myself to close my mouth eventually. Then I switched toa nasal pillow and things got HORRIBLE. Even when I taped my mouth over entirely with 2" tape horizontally, I evidently circulated the provided air through my mouth even though I knew it couldn't leak out through the corners like when I taped with 1" tape vertically. My answer was the papCAP. I use teh chinstrap under the back of my jaw rather than over teh point of the chin. This forces my toungue to act as a valve that closes the back of the oral cavity and keep the nasal air going to my lungs, not taking a detour in my mouth.

It's so much better, you can actually lick your fingers to turn the pages of the bedtime reading and get a sip of water in the middle of the night! After trying 4- different chinstraps and even getting thicker neoprene and making my own, the expense of the papCAP is far overruled by the results!

Good Luck with your journey!
Kelvin