how many people use an Oral Mask?

[Brenpbb11150]

Hello,
I am getting ready t o order a new mask from F&P. I have tried so many masks and am getting pretty tired of not being able to get the right one. I am a mouth breather and my question is to the people that have the oral mask....does it work well? It looks pretty comfortable and since I am a mouth breather with lots of sinus problems I thought that would work for me. Please...any input on this would be greatly appreciated.
Thank=You
Bren

[Madalot]

I assume you mean a full face mask? If so, I have the F&P 431 and it's the only mask I've been able to use. Is it perfect? No, far from it, but it's the best (for me) of all the ones I've tried.

I have serious sinus problems and am a mouth breather -- I've tried a lot of other FFM's and this is the one I've settled on.

[cflame1]

I think that Bren's talking about the "Oracle"

[LSAT]

I've read about the F&P Oracle mask and have wondered....Can you loose pressure through your nose just as you can loose pressure through your mouth when you use a nasal mask. With a nasal mask you can keep your mouth closed, but, with an oral mask...how do you keep your nose closed?????????

[Brenpbb11150]

LSAT,
That is a good question...so I was wondering if anyone on this forum uses the oral mask and if their thearpy is as good.
Thanks
Bren

[Madalot]

I think that Bren's talking about the "Oracle"

Oops. My bad. Sorry about that. Thanks for correcting me on this --

[resp1962]

As the topic of Oral Masks continue, let me offer two cents...First, we were all born as obligate NOSE breathers....Then as we reached adulthood, some of us became mouth breathers. Why??? Well, did you ever get hit in the nose or receive trauma to the nose ? most of us did... Do you know you may have polyps in your sinuses which cause you to breathe from the mouth?? No worries though, both holes in your nose do NOT go up into your brain, they go straight back to meet the oropharynx which is the same alley way your mouth uses to reach the back of the throat... The only problem that usually occurs is that when we place a nasal mask only, we sometime have to provide the patient with a chinstrap to keep the mouth closed...Oral only masks (covering mouth only) don't exist without the addition of soft pillows that come out of top of the oral mask and into the nose. An example of this mask is called the "Hybrid" Hope this helps...


Chris, RRT

[RDawkinsPhDMPH]

I have had several people use the Oracle. Some like it, some don't. Give it a try and see how you do, but you may need to see your doctor and have the pressure adjusted.

[RDawkinsPhDMPH]

PS: You may want to see an ENT doctor to see why you have to breathe through your mouth.

[GumbyCT]

Hello,
I am getting ready t o order a new mask from F&P. I have tried so many masks and am getting pretty tired of not being able to get the right one. I am a mouth breather and my question is to the people that have the oral mask....does it work well? It looks pretty comfortable and since I am a mouth breather with lots of sinus problems I thought that would work for me. Please...any input on this would be greatly appreciated.
Thank=You
Bren

When I tried it at a mask fitting I thought it blew too much and too hard at the back of my throat. Made me far too light headed.
It comes with plugs for the nose to answer another question. I think it will take some to get used to sleeping with something in your mouth.

Would the cpap Pro work for you? Nomask.com
Either love it or hate

[LSAT]

...Oral only masks (covering mouth only) don't exist without the addition of soft pillows that come out of top of the oral mask and into the nose. An example of this mask is called the "Hybrid" Hope this helps...
Chris, RRT

Chris...you are wrong....The Oracle is not a hybrid.

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/fisher ... -mask.html

[gregIN]

I use the Fisher & Paykel Forma mask and I, too, am a mouth breather. I have to have the extra large size as anything smaller hits me just below my lower lip and just doesn't work. I've also tried what I call the "firefighter's mask". It didn't work as the air kept blowing across my eyes keeping me from sleep.

I've come to the conclusion, as someone else suggested, that I need to see an ENT to find out why I mouth breathe. I find, especially when I put my mask on, that my nasal passages just block up. It doesn't appear to be congestion, but I don't know what else it could be.'

[Myolin]

I tried the oral mask. LSAT the nose plugs are to block the air trough the nose.
I am a mouth breather but I was chokingby too much air, not being able to breath a bit by the nose.
It was better after few hours but the cushion was hurting, the small size was too big.
Just try it, on CPAP.com page there are some very positive comments.

[SleepingUgly]

I did try it. It comes with nose plugs that are purportedly intended to be used initially while you train yourself not to breathe through your nose (as if). The nose plugs were not comfortable and given that I have different shaped nostrils, it didn't work well. Every time it leaked through my nose, it caused a strange sensation in my mouth. Someone motivated could probably use nose clips from something else (e.g., swimming nose clips). I was told by an RT that some people find they salivate too much with it, and I did experience that, but I didn't get the full effect because I couldn't fall asleep. HOWEVER, in retrospect I think I couldn't fall asleep with it because my machine, not the mask. I was on the PR System 1, which sends a test puff of air to see if it's a clear airway or obstructive airway, and the puff occurring IN my mouth was much more disruptive than when it occurred against my face. So I just couldn't fall asleep with it. It's possible that with the S9, I could fall asleep with it, but I've lost my motivation to try, at least for now.

On the plus side, my nose bridge was in heaven, and I could put my glasses on and read. It was very much less cumbersome than most masks. The strap was pretty loose and yet would maintain a seal.

If you've exhausted your "traditional" mask options, go for it.