just a question

Hi, I have been reading on here for awhile tonight to try to educate myself some more. I just have a quick question, I have been clenching and grinding my teeth since my mom died 3 years ago, and I finally have a mouth guard to wear at night, why it took so long, I can't say{especially since I am a dental hygienist}, anyway, I am supposed to get my autopap in a few weeks and am curious, how will I wear my bite splint? It sounds like you must have your mouth closed, lips together, and the bite splint keeps your mouth more in an open position, obviously teeth and lips apart. Also, my doc suggested an autopap, which it sounds like some people have to fight for it, also I am going to request the humidifier and c-flex. It also seems to me that some people got to try out their machines during their sleep study...not me, cause I barely slept, so they are going to just give me one to try, I hope they explain everything thoroughly!!! Take care, I'll keep reading, LV

it seems to me that a guard would help you. That is if it is like the guards I am familiar with . The sports type. They keep your jaw slightly open so yoo have better airflow. The flanges would help seal your mouth.

I may be totally wrong on this one never seeing it.

Congratulations on getting am auto. Some go through much misery and red tape to get an autopap. Good for you.

Welcome to the group. There are many wonderfull people here to help .

Cheers,

Chris

LBV,

I used to grind my teeth also and was pleasantly surprised that I stopped withing a week or so of starting CPAP treatment. I hope that will happen for you, too! I would try treatment without the mouthguard to begin with and see how it goes.

Congratulations on starting out with an autopap. The best I could get out of my current doc ( soon to be my former doc ) was to recently obtain a C-flex. He is a pulmonologist and woefully out of touch with current sleep apnea knowlege.

Best of luck to you.

LBV, if you are one of the many lucky people whose tongue forms an airtight seal naturally, it won't matter if your mouth is held open by the bite splint or not. Try it...let your mouth hang open right now, and breathe through your nose only (with the intention of not letting any air go in and out of your open mouth.)

The tongue is the whole key to whether one leaks air through their mouth or not. It's not whether the mouth itself is open or not, although the more the mouth is open, the easier it is for the tongue to fall down from a sealing position. It's how the tongue itself seals...either forward and up on the roof of the mouth or down and back at the entrance to the throat...either way will seal off air even while nose-breathing with an open mouth.

Keeping the mouth closed is no guarantee you won't leak air through closed lips either. (And is why chin straps are of no use to many people, including me.) You can try that too. Clench your teeth shut, close your lips lightly and try to puff air out of your mouth.... unless the tongue maintains an absolutely air tight seal inside, you can puff air out your closed lips easily.

So, I wouldn't worry...yet.... about whether you'll have air leaks through your mouth while wearing your bite splint. Cross that bridge if it happens. If it does - do a search for "tape" and then use your best judgement.

It's also possible that after you start getting good treatment and good sleep, your night time teeth grinding might subside or stop altogether. The stress of poor sleep and continued mini-awakenings as your body fought its way back up for air repeatedly during the night might have contributed to the teeth clenching. But I'm not a doctor, and I don't really know about that kind of thing.

You may be one of the lucky ones whose mouth can be open, yet the tongue maintains a seal at the back of the throat during sleep just fine.

Good luck.

LBV,

There is a mask out there which is called CPAPPro (or http://www.nomask.com), which is a combined dental mouthpiece and nasal mask. It might help you. I have not tried it, the reviews I've read are mixed, but it's something to consider, no warrantees expressed or implied.

Also, a Full Face mask might help if you find you just can't prevent mouth breathing with the existing appliance in place.

Also, you might look at the Fischer & Paykey Oracle mouth interface. I'm not sure how it would work with your mouthguard, or whether it would work INSTEAD of your mouthguard, but it's worth a look.

(Of all of these, only the ResMed Ultra Mirage Full Face have I had any experience with. I'm just trying to think of what I've seen on line which might help you.)

And, of course, there's always the hope that better sleep will reduce your stress, and you'll stop abruxating.

Liam, who had to work in the word abruxating, and now hopes that he used and spelled it correctly.

Thank you all for your good advice. I just have been thinking about what to expect. I guess it would have been nice to at least see what they are going to set me up with. I will find out soon enough. I am hoping for the best, cause i am such a light sleeper, easily awakened. Can't imagine all that gear over my face, but I'll hope for the best, gotta have a positive attitude starting out!! Chris, Luckylinda, rested gal, and Liam, Thanks for your responses. I am sure you'll be hearing from me again after I get started. So glad I found this forum, it has helped already!! My kids let me on here now and again, so I'll keeping reading. Liam, you are hilarious!! LV