Best tapes to seal lips for mouth breather

[stube40]

I've recently converted from full-face to nasal pillows and, as a mouth breather, I need to tape up my mouth.

I've been using sports tape (ie a form of adhesive cloth), but last night my wife said she could hear me on a couple of occasions trying desperately to suck small amounts of air through the cloth with my mouth. Hence, I'm looking to get a better tape that prevents this.

Any suggestions?

FWIW - the reason I'm not using a chinstrap is that I hate having straps all over my head and this is the biggest reason I couldn't get on with full-face masks (i would rip them off in my sleep). The tape doesn't seem to both me at all though.

[berkhills]

Get 3M paper tape. I have been a lifetime mouth breather and learnt from knowlegeable folks here, about this tape.

The trick is to position your tongue behind your top teeth, that creates the seal. I find saliva dripples out, but I have no leaks.

I too use the P10 , after 8 months of ff mask and feel exhilarated about finally nasal breathing. I look forward to going to sleep. I am oblivious to the tape.

How lucky are we !

[stube40]

Get 3M paper tape.

Do you mean, like 'masking' tape that is designed for masking off emulsion paint?

That's the only 3M stuff I can think of that's paper-based.....

[kaiasgram]

Nexcare gentle paper tape for sensitive skin. In the first aid/bandage aisle.

I cut a horizontal slit in the tape before I put it on -- allows me to take a sip of water through a straw if needed and it's also a safety measure. With a little effort I can breathe through that slit but when I'm asleep and relaxed it holds well and my mouth stays closed. I still need to do that tongue on the roof of the mouth thing to avoid aerophagia and chipmunk cheeks.

[berkhills]

Get 3M paper tape.

Do you mean, like 'masking' tape that is designed for masking off emulsion paint?

That's the only 3M stuff I can think of that's paper-based.....

NO. Its surgical tape , found in bandaid section of drug store. It is very thin.

[ElvishKnight]

Lol!!!

Seriously to this thread?

Sounds absolutely crazy to me... Taping your mouth shut.

There has to be a better way!!!

[Slats]

I know it sounds strange, but you aren't really taping your mouth SHUT- your are taping your lips, but you can still open them and saliva drippels out. Really it changed my life.

It is so benign, that I leave it on if I visit the rest room in the night. I couldn't stand the chin strap-

This way, you are liberated from only wearing a ff mask. Nasal pillows especially P10 are amazing.

[Sclark08]

I agree with you ElvishKnight!

[sleepydc]

For my FFM (full face mask) use I found it started working a whole lot better when I started using tape. Some people end up using chin straps with FFM's. I tried and disliked chin straps. For me, the "partial tape method" solves most of the issues with "mouth breathing" and "draw drop," which interrrupts the seal of a FFM (full face mask) because my face changes shape when that occurs and the seal is broken. At this point, I hardly notice it's there -- and (in combination with some of the techniques described below) it promotes nasal breathing, which seems to be a pretty good thing while sleeping, helps prevent leaks that wake me up, helps prevent "chipmunk" cheeks, and helps prevent drymouth. It's not for everyone, but here's what I'd suggest:

I have now been using surgical tape for about a year now, and it has worked wonders and works very well for me. I use silk surgical type tape you can get off of Amazon, 2" wide. There's also a 1" wide version. If you gently pull it off in the morning, there's usually no problem. Just type something like "3M-Durapore-Silk-Tape 2 inches x 10 yards - box of 6" or the like on the Amazon site. For me, it works very well with a full face mask (FFM) -- the FFM helps prevent pressure problems if my jaw does open slightly, and the tape substantially prevents my jaw from dropping and also thereby keeps my face largely in the same "position" as I fall asleep (thereby avoiding the inevitable leaks that can occur when your facial shape changes from the point of initial placement/tightening of the mask). .

I was actually worried about not being able to breath with the tape if there was a shut-down. I've found that this set-up, however, offers very few worries:

For the silk tape, apply a 2inch wide strip vertically from a spot just above your upper lip (the indentation just below your nose) down to just under your chin (with your lips closed and your jaw in a comfortable place). As you bring the tape and press it underneath your chin, "fold" the edge back on itself (maybe a 1/2 inch or so) so that the edge hangs a bit from your chin -- makes for easier removal in case of emergency. Because it's only 2 inches wide and vertically placed, your entire mouth is actually not taped -- you can, in a pinch, breath around the edges -- and the silk tape itself I've found by accident (in opening my mouth with it being placed) will also let a little air in if you open your mouth forcefully. In short, it doesn't take too much force to maneuver or breath around the silk tape, but at the same time the tape seems to mostly keep my jaw from dropping when I relax and fall asleep, which is the whole point. [The setup also seems to work best when combined with the technique, described elsewhere on this site, of learning to relax with the tip of your tongue against the roof of your mouth as your mouth is closed, which "seals" the mouth from the nasal passage and helps prevent dry mouth]. (In placing the tape, I've also found it helpful to focus on firming the contact with the skin at the point below the nose and under the chin more than the lips, which seems to leave a little area of the lip region feeling less taped, if that makes sense). [To remove with less "tear", try pulling up vertically from underneath the chin till you reach your lip, then pull across "horizontally" for the remainder.]

The usual caveats about making up your own mind about this, considering safety issues, etc. apply, of course. But frankly, I'm surprised more people don't do this.

[chunkyfrog]

Chin straps only hold the jaw closed.
Lips are fleshy and flexible--one can drink and speak with a wired jaw. Many have done so.
Doctors/dentists wire jaws together for orthopedic or cosmetic reasons.
I have even used Poli Grip strips between my lips, with a whistle hole in the center.
Google "Chin Up Strips", they pull the lower lip up, making mouth breathing difficult, but not impossible.
If you are quite uncomfortable doing something, do not do it.
If this means not using cpap, that's not what I meant.

[sleepydc]

I should probably add that in using the setup I describe above, I'm also wearing a mouth guard prescribed from my dentist for teeth grinding, years before the cpap stuff arose. In my case, the whole combination keeps my mouth closed and face largely "set," without jaw clenching or teeth grinding. Not sure how well it would work for me without the mouth guard....

[palerider]

Lol!!!

Seriously to this thread?

lol
seriously to your posts,

do you ever think, or read, before you post?

maybe a little reading and thinking would prevent so much ass showing.

the fact that sclark08 agrees with your post is an indication of just how dumb it is.

[chunkyfrog]

PR, awesome logic.
Just because doctors freak out does not mean it is a bad thing.
They used to BLEED people!

[ElvishKnight]

Lol!!!

Seriously to this thread?

lol
seriously to your posts,

do you ever think, or read, before you post?

maybe a little reading and thinking would prevent so much ass showing.

the fact that sclark08 agrees with your post is an indication of just how dumb it is.

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[ElvishKnight]