Dental Health Decline Under CPAP Use

[SarcasticDave94]

Another issue could be your DreamStation itself, which is under recall BTW. Maybe your settings aren't set for best results.

[NelsonM]

I'm sorry for your dental problems, Phil7, that sounds unpleasant.

I don't understand why so many replies here are skeptical of a connection between CPAP and tooth decay. Dry mouth is a well known factor in tooth decay. Most of the research I can find on this has to do with people who don't produce enough saliva. But dry mouth is also a known problem for CPAP users and there's a bunch of dentist websites that will tell you that CPAP can be a problem for tooth decay.

Surprisingly, CPAP might cause dry mouth even with only a nasal mask. There's a short research note here that suggests the problem is the higher air pressure actually impedes saliva flow. I don't know if that's a consensus view, it's mostly just a doctor speculating based on the pressure exerted by salivary glands.

Google's results for CPAP stuff are very spammy so a quick research didn't find a great site for what to do about dry mouth. But this commercial site's advice is typical and seems sensible. Use a humidifier. Drink more water. Consider using a nasal pillow and stop mouth breathing.

Me, I've got a new reason to be diligent about brushing my teeth before going to sleep.