A very common complaint from PAP users is dry mouth.
For those using nasal masks--whether the pillows styles or over-the-nose styles--dry mouth can be a sign that mouth-breathing is occurring during sleep. If that is the case, you will not be getting the full benefit of PAP therapy because the majority of air used to create the pressure that keeps your airway open escapes through your mouth.
If you are a mouth-breather we recommend one of two things: try adding a chin strap to aid in keeping your mouth closed, or change your mask to a "full face" style which seals around your mouth and nose.
For some, the chin strap is not enough to keep the mouth closed, or air escapes through the lips. In that case, the full face mask is the best choice. With a full face mask you can breathe through your mouth to your heart's content; and the air that enters through your mouth will be humidified by your machine, thereby eliminating dry mouth. Many nose-breathers will even have a full face mask on hand in case of severe congestion.
We also come across many people who already use a full face mask and have their humidifier set at the highest setting, and still they have a dry mouth. There may be other medical causes for dry mouth, so it is a good idea to check with your doctor if you have this problem. Chronic dryness is not good for oral health, so you will want to find out what other measures you can take to moisturize.
Recently, one of our patients shared a product with us designed to alleviate dry mouth: Ziezta strips. The strips appear to act like a chin strap to keep the mouth closed. He has found this product to be the most effective--even more effective than Biotene or traditional chin straps. You can obtain more information regarding this product at
www.ziezta.com. It is important to check with your doctor before using this product to make sure it is safe for
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