What is so wrong about mouth breathing?

I have been recently posting and reading threads on cpap.com and just notice everyone tries to push you to not mouth breath and to force yourself to breath out of your nose. I can not beleive people even tape their mouth shut...being a RN I know that is not right! I am on call alot and have a 4 year old so I obvoisly can not just tape my mouth shut...need to be able to talk at night. I did not have luck with a nasal pillow system because chronic missouri allergies keep my nose nice and clogged up most of the time and I felt like I was suffocating without breathing though my mouth. Then for a couple nights I used the F&P 431 and have noticed each time I use it I have a terrible sore throat and feel terrible the next day. It does not leak much. I was talking to the dme company about it and she said "You are just mouth breathing".....well yeah that is why I have a ffm. What is so wrong with mouth breathing that everyone has an attitude about it?
Jen

What is so wrong with mouth breathing that everyone has an attitude about it?

Simply put you lose therapeutic pressure that needs to stent your airway open while using a nasal-only mask. That doesn't happen with a full face mask, but you already documented the dry throat and mouth caveat in your post above. That in turn can promote dental decay and even infection.

there is nothing wrong with mouth breathing if you either do not have sleep apnea or have a full face mask. If you are using a nasel mask only (that does not cover the mouth) then air will go in your nose and back out your mouth again. It will not keep your airways open and will not prevent apneas and hypopneas. For many people the air going down the nose will create a suction and help to keep the mouth shut. But for others this doesn't happen and it completely invalidates their treatment. For those who can't keep their mouth shut while they sleep but also cannot find a full face mask that works for them, they have to find other options. Taping is an extreme measure designed to be used as a last resort. There is also clear guidelines on safe taping in various places on this web site, most include suggestions to get your mouth open asap if necessary.

Jen, I couldn't find this for you when I posted earlier. But I just found it a few seconds ago. Anyway, here is Resmed's explanation of why mouth breathing can be problematic:
http://www.resmed.com/en-us/clinicians/ ... clinicians

Crossfit, glad to see you posting again!

If you've got your humidifier cranked up, it can have the effect of closing up your nasal passages. In my own case, I learned right off the bat that I couldn't use heated humidity and have been using "pass-over" (no heat) and cold water in my humidifier tank at night. That helps to shrink the tissues in my nasal passages and promotes nasal breathing. A nasal rinse or cleansing of some sort just before bedtime also helps to open up the nasal passages.

If you're mouth-breathing, you're more likely to suck your tongue back into your throat and close off your breathing that way, too.

Den

I go back and forth with taping. Inevitably, as soon as I tape up, I feel this overwhelming urge to cough...

Well, last night I NOTICED I WAS BLOWING OUT MY MOUTH! I've never noticed this before. I was sure I wasn't mouth breathing. And no, I didn't tape last night. And yes, I had my usual chinstrap on.

And after going to bed for 12 hours, I feel like sh*t today.

So. Why do we bad-mouth mouth breathing? Because you'll feel better in the AM if you don't breathe out your mouth.

Work with your docs to control your nasal congestion.

The tape I'm currently using takes NOTHING to zip off - 3M Gentle Release Blue Painters tape. No adhesive, not painful to take off. In fact, if I want to, I can blow it off.

Cheers,
Babs

BTW, Here's a great thread about taping your mouth shut:

viewtopic.php?t=32018

Lots of links to other helpful threads, as well.

Cheers,
Babs

Ok...I still don't get it...if you use a ffm it looks like it obviously should not matter if you breath through your mouth or nose. I use a ffm.

Well, theoretically, that's true. In my case, when I tried using a FFM, and breathed through my mouth, I got a sore throat too.

I don't really know WHY. I'm not a doc. I can just tell you that's the case. Could be you could raise your humidity to combat that sore throat. With me, if I raise my humidity, I get rainout, which keeps me awake.

Good luck!!!
Babs

Oh and I have received medical treatment for nasal congestion...take claritin D 24 hour and use nasonex nose spray but it helps very little. Doctor says surgery is only way and I an not about to do that.
Jen

Well, if surgery is not an option for you, you might want to look into a Mandibular Advancement Device, and not go the CPAP route.

I would seriously evaluate the provider, however, and find one licensed to service sleep disorders. Don't take your dentist's claims for fact. Do your own research. Here's a website that might help you:

http://www.ihatecpap.com/

Good luck!
Babs

reefdreamer wrote:Ok...I still don't get it...if you use a ffm it looks like it obviously should not matter if you breath through your mouth or nose. I use a ffm.

You're right......it doesn't matter. However, as a lifelong mouth-breather, I found that with the things I've done, I am now able to breathe so much better through my nose. Mouth-breathing even with a full face mask can still result in a dry mouth/throat.

Den

reefdreamer wrote:Ok...I still don't get it...if you use a ffm it looks like it obviously should not matter if you breath through your mouth or nose. I use a ffm.

Mouth breathing without sleep apnea is not ordinarily problematic. You don't have air blowing at a constant pressure from a machine directly into your mouth all night long.

Every mask is designed to leak on purpose at certain range of liters per minute of air so you don't asphyxiate from too much CO2 building up in the hose and mask. Your mouth and throat tissues must sustain a certain level of surface wetness to remain healthy. Even with heated humidity, constant air flowing over the interior of the mouth while the mouth is open in a full face mask can dry out the mouth and throat tissues beyond their normal level of wetness. The purpose of buying a full face mask is not to breathe through the mouth exclusively, but rather to equalize the pressure between mouth and nose so that it's easier to keep the mouth closed and breathe through the nose. The intention of the full face mask is still to breathe through the nose as much as possible and to breathe through the mouth only as a last resort.

The sinuses do a much better job of humidity equalization prior to reaching the throat than does the mouth. That's part of why there are so many folds in the sinuses, eh? If you cannot breathe properly through your nose with the full face mask on, it may be worth exploring with your doctor why your nose is so congested. If you have a deviated septum or polyps or swollen something-or-others (the technical term), that may be causing your nasal breathing problems. Options for healthier nasal breathing should be explored.

To summarize:
A full face mask is essential for people whose nose is congested.
Mouth breathing with a full face mask may dry your mouth and give you a sore thoat because of all that air blowing and out of your mouth. Theoreitcally (dry mouth aside) you can mouth breathe to your heart's contend if you have an FFM.
Some people find higher humidity helps against the congesion.
For other people, higher humidity cause ever more congestion.

Mouth breathing with a nasal mask - or nasal pillows mask - keeps you from getting proper therapy for your apnea, and dries your mouth in addition. Some people's jaw drops when they relaxe, and the pressurized air pours out of their mouth. Despite their not being congested.

Some people manage to learn to keep their mouth shut when they sleep others don't.

For those who do not use an FFM, and want to consider taping, and are concerned about it, this is from a older thread:

ozij wrote:
The following mask The Oracle was cleared for sale in the USA by the FDA.


This mask fits into your mouth, and has you plug your nose with nose plugs. That's the mouthpiece up there in the picture. The mask is is supplied with the nasal plugs - and they are mandatory, not optional for the first 2 weeks.

http://www.fphcare.co.nz/osa/pdf/HC452/185043485.pdf

1) Attach Headgear by re-connecting one of the clips (J).
2) Pull the SnapFlapTM Cover (A) back to the retracted position.
3) Insert the SoftSeal (B) into the mouth, one side at a time. It should sit in the gum region between the cheeks and the teeth. Move your lips around so they fit comfortably all the way over the
SoftSeal.
4) Return the SnapFlapTMCover (A) back to its normal position, and adjust the mask tightness by rotating the Dial (C) as shown.
5) With Headgear (I) sitting loosely around base of neck, re-connect clip.
6) Adjust Headgear with VelcroTM tab (l1) to remove slack.
7) Use Nasal Plugs (H) for first two weeks of use. Refer to Nasal Plug Instructions.

Nasal Plugs
Nasal Plugs are used to aid in the training of natural mouth breathing. It is optional to discontinue use after the first two weeks. However, use Nasal Plugs if you experience any of the following:
Oral dryness Nasal leak Poor sleep Quality

Instructions for Use
1) Your Nasal Plugs (H) come in three sizes, S / M / L, as indicated on the joining strip.
2) Pull medium sized silicone Nasal Plugs from the central joining strip and insert into nose so that
the base of the plugs are just inside the nostrils.
3) The plug should fit comfortably inside the nose and should seal off the flow of air.
If not content, try the other sizes.
4) Use the OracleTM Oral Mask as you normally would, with the Nasal Plugs inserted.

Look at that mouthpiece and headgear. Look at the instructions for putting the mask in your mouth, and tying it around you neck. Imagine adding nasal plugs, and ask yourself which is easier for a concious, otherwise healthy person to deal with: that, or a piece of tape with pull off flaps.

O.

reefdreamer wrote:What is so wrong with mouth breathing that everyone has an attitude about it?

-SWS wrote:Simply put you lose therapeutic pressure that needs to stent your airway open while using a nasal-only mask. That doesn't happen with a full face mask, but you already documented the dry throat and mouth caveat in your post above. That in turn can promote dental decay and even infection.

reefdreamer wrote:Ok...I still don't get it...if you use a ffm it looks like it obviously should not matter if you breath through your mouth or nose.

So about that dry mouth caveat we almost had a discussion about but ignored instead...

http://www.google.com/search?q=cpap+%22 ... =firefox-a

http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en ... tnG=Search

A dry mouth---even with a full face mask on---is believed to promote tooth decay, periodontal disease, etc. Good luck, Jen. Hang in there... it's worth it!