Train yourself to keep your mouth closed?

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
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OutaSync
Posts: 2048
Joined: Sun Sep 23, 2007 8:49 am
Location: Virginia

Re: Train yourself to keep your mouth closed?

Post by OutaSync » Mon Feb 07, 2011 10:57 am

My tongue is so big that it takes up the whole inside of my mouth. There is no place for it to go other than be parked on the roof, behind my upper front teeth. That being said, I could blow up a ballon with my tongue in that position. It does not stop pressurized air from blowing through. Now if only I could train myself to breathe when I'm sleeping!

Bev
Diagnosed 9/4/07
Sleep Study Titrated to 19 cm H2O
Rotating between Activa and Softgel
11/2/07 RemStar M Series Auto with AFlex 14-17
10/17/08 BiPAP Auto SV 13/13-23, BPM Auto, AHI avg <1

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acc0mpl1ce
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Feb 03, 2011 11:24 am
Location: Boston, MA

Re: Train yourself to keep your mouth closed?

Post by acc0mpl1ce » Mon Feb 07, 2011 11:10 am

I don't know if you might have seen my other post in a different topic, I have found that I don't need my mouth sealed shut. All I require is gentle pressure on my lips
to prevent the air from blowing out. I have been using a bandana, rolled over twice. I tie it off around the back of my head and the pressure is perfectly suited for this purpose.
Also, I think that it is a good solution because you can still breathe through the bandana material if your nose stuffs up. To me, it seems significantly safer than taping or gluing your mouth shut. I recommend at least trying it.

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OutaSync
Posts: 2048
Joined: Sun Sep 23, 2007 8:49 am
Location: Virginia

Re: Train yourself to keep your mouth closed?

Post by OutaSync » Mon Feb 07, 2011 11:16 am

My chinstrap comes around my chin and covers my lips. Not enough pressure to keep the air from blowing out, but enough to help hold the tape on. My pressure goes up to 23 so maybe that's the difference?
Diagnosed 9/4/07
Sleep Study Titrated to 19 cm H2O
Rotating between Activa and Softgel
11/2/07 RemStar M Series Auto with AFlex 14-17
10/17/08 BiPAP Auto SV 13/13-23, BPM Auto, AHI avg <1

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Bright Choice
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Joined: Fri Jan 14, 2011 5:17 pm

Re: Train yourself to keep your mouth closed?

Post by Bright Choice » Mon Feb 07, 2011 5:18 pm

I've been trying to train myself to keep my mouth closed. My husband thinks that's almost impossible, but he is hoping!

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DreamDiver
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Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2007 11:19 am

Re: Train yourself to keep your mouth closed?

Post by DreamDiver » Mon Feb 07, 2011 6:10 pm

Some have been successful training themselves to sleep without mouthleaking. I'm one of those who gave up after the first six months. After I started using a full face, I never looked back. Many have had success with mouth taping, which is - in essence, equivalent to using a full face mask. (You're still supposed to try to breathe through your nose with a full face mask. It just makes it easier to keep the air column pressure equal between mouth and nose, so mouth leaking doesn't occur.)

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