RE: cpap - dental questions
This only applies to full face masks, I_want_my_sleep_back and Liam. Nasal masks and pillows have no effect on the mouth because the air from the mask does not circulate much in the mouth unless you use a full face mask (or hybrid) and mouth breath. Moreover, the act of clamping the jaw shut to avoid air escaping through the mouth causes more saliva production, which in turn causes you to swallow more (one reason why people suffer from air bloating in the early phases of getting used to CPAP). It is the pressure of the jaws holding shut and often thrusting the lower jaw forward that is causing sir sleeps a lot's main problem, plus the mask adjustment and perhaps some problems with the fit. I would suggest getting nasal pillows and perhaps looking into a mouth guard.
Distilled water vapour under mild pressure won't do much to your teeth by itself, since the air is moving all the time and being refreshed, so it can't "steal" calcium in any significant amount. And the pressure isn't high at all - you couldn't blow up a balloon with it. I suggest, Liam, that there are other reasons besides water vapour and pressure for your teeth problems, either completely independent of your using CPAP or due to your teeth grinding or other reactions to the mask usage itself. If you want to test the theory on distilled water, try simply using the CPAP without the humidifier for a few days and see if that makes a difference (besides the raw throat you will have in the morning) - I would bet that you won't see a significant bettering of your teeth. However, if you can stop being a mouth breather and switch to a nasal pillow, I highly recommend it - you oxygenate better breathing through your nose, it is healthier for you.
NEVER give up the CPAP for a better smile - a corpse has no use for a smile, good or otherwise.
Distilled water vapour under mild pressure won't do much to your teeth by itself, since the air is moving all the time and being refreshed, so it can't "steal" calcium in any significant amount. And the pressure isn't high at all - you couldn't blow up a balloon with it. I suggest, Liam, that there are other reasons besides water vapour and pressure for your teeth problems, either completely independent of your using CPAP or due to your teeth grinding or other reactions to the mask usage itself. If you want to test the theory on distilled water, try simply using the CPAP without the humidifier for a few days and see if that makes a difference (besides the raw throat you will have in the morning) - I would bet that you won't see a significant bettering of your teeth. However, if you can stop being a mouth breather and switch to a nasal pillow, I highly recommend it - you oxygenate better breathing through your nose, it is healthier for you.
NEVER give up the CPAP for a better smile - a corpse has no use for a smile, good or otherwise.
