Mouth Breather

grnthumb · Post by **grnthumb** » Wed Dec 11, 2019 9:03 am

Hi community, I'm new to this forum but not new to cpap use, I have been a cpap user for several years, diagnosed with mild sleep apnea. I use the Resmed p10 with nasal pillows, but over the last couple years I have become a mouth breather. I have done my research and realize the only solution is either a full face mask, which I can't use due to claustrophobia or taping my mouth shut, no thank you. I use Biotiene spray and always have a bottle of water on the bedside table but my mouth is still like the sierra desert. Truthfully I sleep better without cpap but several yrs ago I was diagnosed with Afib and my doctor thinks being on cpap MIGHT help control my Afib episodes, so I'm leary about discontinuing using it. My Sleep doctor doesn't have a solution for the dry mouth, so I'm reaching out to the community to see if anyone has any other suggestions.

Miss Emerita · Post by **Miss Emerita** » Wed Dec 11, 2019 9:27 am

To answer your question: "XyliMelts are oral-adhering discs that stick to your teeth or gums to relieve persistent dry mouth. Use XyliMelts during the day or while sleeping and find temporary relief from frequent thirst, sticky dryness in the mouth and throat, and other unpleasant dry mouth symptoms."

But if you're doing a lot of mouth-breathing, then I wonder how well your apnea is being treated. You might try a soft cervical collar or a (firmer) anti-snore collar, which could help if part of the problem is your jaw dropping.

You might also browse full-face masks on cpap.com. Some of them might be less claustrophobic than you'd expect.

Biomed_ZZZ · Post by **Biomed_ZZZ** » Wed Dec 11, 2019 12:06 pm

I am new to CPAP use but found my mouth opens on a nasal mask. I tried the Dreamwear FF and it works very well fot the most part except it doesn't seem to handle higher pressures very well; at 12 to 13 cmh2o it seems to holds pressure nicely.

It is very minimal in covering your face and I am wearing it sleeping on my stomach. Unfortunately I seem to be running higher pressures so it isn't working out for me. I've only have tried the Dreamwear line of nasal and now FF masks and both are very good with openness on the face.

zonker · Post by **zonker** » Wed Dec 11, 2019 12:20 pm

grnthumb wrote: ↑
Wed Dec 11, 2019 9:03 am
Hi community, I'm new to this forum but not new to cpap use, I have been a cpap user for several years, diagnosed with mild sleep apnea. I use the Resmed p10 with nasal pillows, but over the last couple years I have become a mouth breather.

here's a possible alternative to taping-

viewtopic/p1089718/viewtopic.php?f=1&t= ... s#p1086296

this is what i use along with a firm foam cervical collar. i've modified it a bit from jay's description, but it's basically the same. i too use a p10. i find this method works a treat for me.

good luck!

grnthumb · Post by **grnthumb** » Sat Feb 01, 2020 9:14 am

Update...I have read all the suggestions and they are very much appreciated. I decided to try the mouth taping and I am now breathing through my nose, no mouth leaks and my numbers have improved greatly, but I'm still having dry mouth. I tried turning up the tube temp to 80 but that hasn't helped. I have also tried the Scunci that was suggested but it kept sliding off my head. Biotene mouth lozenges, which taste awful !
Has anyone else done the mouth taping and still woke up with a dry mouth ? If so, do you have any suggestions other than a FF ?

Pugsy · Post by **Pugsy** » Sat Feb 01, 2020 9:20 am

Using a full face mask doesn't guarantee relief from the dry mouth. We have lots of full face mask users who have to use some sort of oral hydrating agent.

I see Xylimelts recommended here often for dry mouth.

Hose air temp doesn't do anything for moisture in the hose except prevent condensation.
What is your humidity setting? Is there room to increase the humidity setting and see if more moisture in the air will help?

grnthumb · Post by **grnthumb** » Sat Feb 01, 2020 11:09 am

My humidity setting is at 4, I also use a room humidifier. I have tried turning up the humidity but then I wake up with moisture around the nasal pillows. I raised the hose setting because I read that should be done instead of raising the humidity. I will try lowering the hose setting, raise the humidity a notch and purchase some Xylimetls, hope that helps. It's all quite a puzzle.

Pugsy · Post by **Pugsy** » Sat Feb 01, 2020 11:20 am

The hose air temp helps prevent condensation in the mask or hose...so the higher humidity setting you use the more chance of condensation happening and you likely will need to increase the hose air temp to prevent the condensation.

Hose air temp is comfort and condensation prevention only...Warmer air will hold onto more water than colder air...so that is really only how hose air temp actually affects moisture transmission.

zonker · Post by **zonker** » Sat Feb 01, 2020 12:11 pm

grnthumb wrote: ↑
Sat Feb 01, 2020 9:14 am
Update...I have read all the suggestions and they are very much appreciated. I decided to try the mouth taping and I am now breathing through my nose, no mouth leaks and my numbers have improved greatly, but I'm still having dry mouth. I tried turning up the tube temp to 80 but that hasn't helped. I have also tried the Scunci that was suggested but it kept sliding off my head. Biotene mouth lozenges, which taste awful !
Has anyone else done the mouth taping and still woke up with a dry mouth ? If so, do you have any suggestions other than a FF ?

try smaller scuncis. they come in various sizes. best to look for them locally so you can compare.

xylimelts have a good flavor to them.

ETA: a user here(wish she'd come back, i'd like to thank her.) suggested another scunci hack. with a pair of scissors, cut the scunci a short way horizontally in the "back" of the scunci. this allows for a spreading of the straps and helps keep it in place. i've been doing this the last couple of weeks and it stays in place much more easily.

grnthumb · Post by **grnthumb** » Sat Feb 01, 2020 6:56 pm

Pugsy wrote: ↑
Sat Feb 01, 2020 11:20 am
The hose air temp helps prevent condensation in the mask or hose...so the higher humidity setting you use the more chance of condensation happening and you likely will need to increase the hose air temp to prevent the condensation.

Hose air temp is comfort and condensation prevention only...Warmer air will hold onto more water than colder air...so that is really only how hose air temp actually affects moisture transmission.

Thank you, I learned something new today. I noticed that my climate control is on auto, should I change it to manual and up the humidity level along with the hose temp ?

Pugsy · Post by **Pugsy** » Sat Feb 01, 2020 7:11 pm

Auto humidity control on the AirSense 10 machine is equal to about 4 on a manual setting...sort of middle of the road.
If you are wanting to at least see if more moisture helps the mouth...gotta go up in the humidity setting and if you go up in the setting and the bedroom remains cool then you have to increase the hose air temp if you get condensation in the mask or hose.
That's what I am doing right now. I was using auto and still having to use 80 degrees because I tend to keep the house furnace temp on the cold side in the winter....but then I noticed that my nose seemed to feel drier and I was sneezing a lot in the mornings when I first got up which usually means not enough moisture for me.
So I changed it to a setting of 6 and cranked up the hose temp to 86....sneezing stopped immediately. I might get a tiny bit of condensation in the mask but it isn't enough to be much of a bother.

Pugsy · Post by **Pugsy** » Sat Feb 01, 2020 9:46 pm

I use up a lot more water at a setting of 6 than I did when I used the "auto" setting. Sometimes have an almost dry water chamber depending on how long I slept.
And where I live isn't all that dry either.
Ambient humidity close to 50% most nights and higher when it rains.

chunkyfrog · Post by **chunkyfrog** » Sat Feb 01, 2020 10:45 pm

Get your blood sugar/A1c checked.
Poor diabetes control can result in oral dryness, esoecially at night.

grnthumb · Post by **grnthumb** » Sun Feb 02, 2020 11:26 am

Pugsy wrote: ↑
Sat Feb 01, 2020 7:11 pm
Auto humidity control on the AirSense 10 machine is equal to about 4 on a manual setting...sort of middle of the road.
If you are wanting to at least see if more moisture helps the mouth...gotta go up in the humidity setting and if you go up in the setting and the bedroom remains cool then you have to increase the hose air temp if you get condensation in the mask or hose.
That's what I am doing right now. I was using auto and still having to use 80 degrees because I tend to keep the house furnace temp on the cold side in the winter....but then I noticed that my nose seemed to feel drier and I was sneezing a lot in the mornings when I first got up which usually means not enough moisture for me.
So I changed it to a setting of 6 and cranked up the hose temp to 86....sneezing stopped immediately. I might get a tiny bit of condensation in the mask but it isn't enough to be much of a bother.

I had my humidity set on auto and upped my hose to 80 but I was waking up with awful sinus headaches, so last night the humidity was still on 4 although I thought I had changed it to 5, and dropped my hose temp to 77, didn't wake up with any headaches but still had the dry mouth. I usually only fill my chamber half way and there's always some left over in the AM. I will take your suggestion and up the humidity to 5 and the hose to 78 and see how that works. BTW...I tried the Xylimelts and it upset my stomach.

grnthumb · Post by **grnthumb** » Sun Feb 02, 2020 11:28 am

chunkyfrog wrote: ↑
Sat Feb 01, 2020 10:45 pm
Get your blood sugar/A1c checked.
Poor diabetes control can result in oral dryness, esoecially at night.

Thank you, I have had my A1 checked and everything is good.

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