Nasal Pillows, Chin strap and mouthguard?

[Dolla Bill]

I have been using Swift FX Nasal pillows mask for about two years. Sometimes I wake with dry mouth. Had not bothered me until I went to the dentist and she told me that dry mouth could/would increase cavities.

So I am getting a chinstrap to hold mouth closed. Is there one recommended by people here?

Dentist also told me that I grind my teeth and have for a very long time, even in my pre-CPAP days. Suggested I get a mouthguard, BUT the mouthguards I see seem to be so thick that my lips won't/can't close.

So, I guess I would have a leak with this type mouthguard/nasal mask???

Don't remember why I picked the nasal mask and maybe a simple solution would be to get a full-face mask? I am male, but don't have facial hair, so a full face might work though I am used to the nasal pillows.

[pogosix]

I am also looking for a chinstrap. I have tried to use the "Ruby" one but it didn't work for me. I hope you get some good responses.

[Doc J]

I think you will find you use nasal pillows because they work great and a full face mask is a huge pain in the butt. At your higher pressures keeping that sealed is a battle. That's just my opinion but you won't know till you try.
Good Luck
Doc J

[PaulaO2]

If you use the Autoset, consider using either the ResScan or the SleepyHead software to keep an eye on your data. You can tell from it if the leaks are bad enough to warrant a chin strap. You can also look at the leaks and tell what kind of leaks they are. Tall spikes are usually the mask getting dislodged. Wider "flat tops" are mouth leaks either from the mouth opening or from lip leaks. Your machine can compensate for leaks up to a certain point but after that, it is just an expensive mouth dryer.

I don't open my mouth during the night but have leaks from my lips due to the increasing pressures. So I've been using a "Ruby like" chinstrap for a while. I like it because of the straps that go up the cheeks. They seem to keep air from filling the mouth which then leak out the lips. This has cut leaks down significantly. However, I hate hate the chin cup part. Why on earth did they put the freaking seam there??

[Sleepster]

Sometimes I wake with dry mouth. Had not bothered me until I went to the dentist and she told me that dry mouth could/would increase cavities.

I would check your leak graph in ResScan and see if you have places where it rises above the baseline. If you see periods of time where the leak rate is elevated (even if it's not above the 24 L/min line) that's evidence of possible mouth-leaking.

This would be evidence that a chin strap might be worth a try.

So I am getting a chinstrap to hold mouth closed. Is there one recommended by people here?

The selection of a chin strap is like the selection of a mask. What works for one doesn't work for all. The two competing factors in chin strap design are comfort and stability. Some have more straps to keep them in place, some have only one strap to improve comfort. Many people report making their own from an Ace bandage, and there's even one forum member who has them custom made.

Dentist also told me that I grind my teeth and have for a very long time, even in my pre-CPAP days. Suggested I get a mouthguard, BUT the mouthguards I see seem to be so thick that my lips won't/can't close.

I have used nasal pillows, a chin strap, and a night guard together with success. In recent months, though, I haven't needed the night guard because I've stopped grinding my teeth. I attribute that to a combination of CPAP therapy and psychotherapy.

Your dentist can make a custom night guard for your upper teeth that is thinner and more comfortable than the boil-and-bite type.

[Sleepster]

However, I hate hate the chin cup part. Why on earth did they put the freaking seam there??

Uhhh ... I hate to ask this because it's one of those duhh things, but you do have the seam stitches on the outside, right?

[eviltim]

I am a big fan of the SP-CHADJ chinstrap, but indeed it is like a mask and highly personal.

[PaulaO2]

It is rough no matter which way I put it. I've tried both. But I wear it red side out.

[JJJ]

The selection of a chin strap is like the selection of a mask. What works for one doesn't work for all. The two competing factors in chin strap design are comfort and stability. Some have more straps to keep them in place, some have only one strap to improve comfort. Many people report making their own from an Ace bandage, and there's even one forum member who has them custom made.

That forum member would be me.

How would you like to be able to experiment with a chin strap for next to nothing and be able to use it tonight? Here's how:

Forget the ACE ™ bandage; they're crap - way too wimpy for a chin strap. Go to a fabric store and buy a yard of elastic designed for waistbands, about 1 1/2 inch wide. This is three times as thick as the pathetic bandage material. A yard will cost a couple of bucks, so it's way cheaper than the bandage too. Take it home and figure out how long it needs to be to give you a nice fit that is adequately tight, then cut this much off the yard and fasten it with a couple of safety pins. If this works out for you then you can take the time to sew the joint, but safety pins will do for the first few nights to see if it solves the problem.

Originally I added straps on the back of mine to keep it from sliding forward off my head, but since then I have discovered that if I make sure the top part is far enough back and sufficiently tight it doesn't come off. Now I use just the strap.

All elastic will eventually lose its stretchiness, but the waistband material is serious enough that it lasts for at least a month. And it's cheap enough that I don't care if I have to replace it. And I don't have to worry about prescriptions, insurance, co-pays or endless paperwork.

[Sleepster]

I'm off to the fabric store tomorrow.