Are My Leaks From Mouth Breathing? Is Full Face Mask with Dental Mouth Guard Ok?

[helpmesleepbetter]

About a week ago, I got a ResMed AirSense 11 with an N20 mask. My home sleep test (WatchPat) gave me 6.2 RDI per hour. I typically have an AHI from 3-5 according to OSCAR, but the past night was a little worse.

My mouth is often dry in the middle of the night, and my fatigue ranges from slightly better to significantly worse than it was before. I've played around with pressure and humidity settings, as well as trying to sleep on a travel neck pillow to see if that would help with leaks.

This past night, I lowered the maximum pressure and changed the climate settings from auto to max humidity with 82 degrees. In the morning, the humidifier was empty, and I believe it is usually at least near empty.

I have large leaks throughout the night and was wondering if you could help me figure out if they are from my mouth or another source. I'm hesitant to try mouth taping, a cervical collar, or a chin strap, as I worry they could cause further health/dental issues. If mouth breathing is the problem, I would prefer to just switch to using a full face mask (or hybrid?) at least for the time being. I wear a custom-fitted dental night guard on my top teeth for bruxism, and I was wondering if it is okay to wear such a thing with a full face mask. Does the mask enter your mouth at all? Are there any other concerns with this combination?

I switch sleep positions throughout the night, but I sleep more on my side than any other position. Does anyone have any full face mask recommendations for side sleepers and/or dental night guard users?

Thanks in advance!

[David Clark]

I am by far not an expert here but I'm pretty sure I've seen that the flat looking leaks like you have are mouth leaks. I believe mask leaks are more spiky looking. I have that problem using either nasal or pillows masks so I switched to a full face and I really don't have problems with leaks anymore. I may use it for a while and see if I can learn to not open my mouth and then go back to a nasal or pillows. I don't know yet. Time will tell.

[DeeKaa]

“Does anyone have any full face mask recommendations for side sleepers and/or dental night guard users?”

I use a night guard and also spend a lot of my sleeping time on my side. I use the Dreamwear FFM (which I guess is considered a hybrid). It has been perfect for me and is what was given to me at my sleep study. My leak rates are very low and sporadic, probably movement related. It fits below the nose and around the mouth. I also love that the hose attaches at top of head so tossing and turning is easy and no hose weight on the mask. I also use a soft cervical collar and my event numbers really go up if I try going without it.

[helpmesleepbetter]

Thank you both. I ordered the Dreamwear. Hopefully it will fix my leak problem.

[David Clark]

I also use the Dreamwear FFM and I really like it. I'm a back sleeper though. Sometimes before I decide to get up on the weekends I'll lay on my side and there's no problems with it leaking when I do. I did just order a F&P Evora FFM...it's coming from Australia. It's not available in the US yet. It's a lot like the Dreamwear but I think the F&P is supposed to have a better seal technology...maybe.