Very dry mouth while using Cpap

HI...I'm very new to using a CPAP machine and I guess [by reading a lot of questions in the forum] am experiencing a common problem, the dry mouth syndrome . And in reading a lot of the responses it seems to me that the chin strap is a common solution. My problem is this. Since I am a mouth breather if I decide to close my mouth and force myself to breath through my nose, since I am extremely congested, I'm afraid I'll have even more trouble breathing. I had my congestion check with a Ear, Nose and Throat doctor and he checked me for a deviated septum and other problems and ended up just prescribing a nasal spray for me and that was that. So I still spray my nose even now using the CPAP machine and still breath through my mouth. Is not the CPAP supposed to help with the congestion . And I guess my biggest fear is if I use a chin strap and keep my mouth closed, will I not breath at all since I'm a mouth breather?......Thanks so much, Tommy

Tommy, As I have been on therapy, I am self-educating. I had a tremendous dry mouth problem when using my full face mask. I first tried Biotene products and the mouth rinse was helpful when getting up in the AM. That stuff makes has no effect while sleeping. I also have a humidifier but it went dry after a couple hours and didn't seem to make a difference.

Self-educating (like reading stuff on this forum) taught me that I was breathing through my mouth partially and I learned this when I figured out my face muscles went slack as they relaxed at night. I sleep about 5.5 to 6 hours a night and the water reservoir was EMPTY every AM till I fixed the problem and now dry mouth has resolved as well. I bought a martial arts mouth piece that is what they call "boil and fit" (or something like that). You put it in warm water; it softens and you shut your teeth down on it. It keep my lower jaw from sagging and opening which caused massive mask leaks but the result of the mask leaks was dry mouth. My air leaks are now pretty much tamed.

There are also very effective lozenges called OraHealth XyliMelts that last all night and relieve dry mouth and I relied heavily on those till I figured out the root cause for my dry mouth. I still pop one in with my mouth guard and wake up with a lubed mouth in the AM. I use them now because I bought a near life-time supply when I was having a problem and may continue going forward. Not sure.

Hi Tommy. CPAP is not designed to help with congestion, and the air flowing into your sinus cavity can actually cause congestion if it is not humidified enough. This is a major reason that CPAP machines have humidifiers. Many patients, including me, use nasal sprays to help control the congestion. If your prescribed spray is not working, I encourage you to ask your physician for a trial of a different spray. If chronic congestion continues, it may be worth exploring a full face mask that actually allows you to breath through your mouth or nose. I have worked with many patients who actually prefer the full face mask because they find breathing through the mouth more comfortable. Best wishes, and please keep us posted!

I started with a nose mask on an Airsense 10 when I started my official usage. Originally, on a CPAP machine tried when I was at the hospital, I had no trouble not breathing through my mouth, but with the APAP, or Automatic CPAP, the pressure starts out low, and I'm asleep when the high pressure starts, and my mouth would drop open. I tried using a headband to prevent this, but it didn't really work. I'm now using an AirFit F10 full face mask, and though I had to shave to get the best fit I'm very happy with the change. Harder to fit right than the nose mask, but the results are spectacular.

On the humidifier, the Airsense 10 it is kind of a joke, one setting my sinus is dry, and the next I'm getting rain out and my sinus is still dry. You need a heated hose to keep all the moisture from condensing on the hose walls. When I used the Phillips Respironics at the hospital, with humidifier and heated hose I believe, I awoke in the morning with a clear sinus and the inside of my nose felt wet.