CPAP is not everyone’s ideal health equipment that can treat snoring or sleep apnea. Every person has different preferences especially if you are a mouth breather. In this article, you can find the right solutions!
So, what are CPAP alternatives for mouth breathers? Let me show you this list of 21 alternatives that may include surgeries, different equipment or lifestyle changes.
- Train yourself
- Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Keep doing this until your body remembers how to regulate your breathing even during sleep.
- Manage stress
- Stress can actually cause breathing problems, try to manage stress levels and see if it will improve your breathing during sleep.
- Clear nose blockage
- When there is an obstruction in the nasal airways, you will end up breathing more through your mouth. Clear the blockage to avoid mouth breathing.
- Chin up strips
- Chin up strips is a good alternative for mouth breathers if you don’t prefer using CPAP. It keeps your jaw in the right place, correcting your breathing habits.
- Rapid Maxillary Expansion
- For children with obstructive sleep apnea. This process places an expandable brace on the roof of the mouth that increases the width of the upper jaw (maxilla).
- Jaw Advancement Surgery
- For teenagers and adults. This process will surgically break the jaw bones, moved forward and then fixed properly with screws and plates and will change the person’s facial structure or profile.
- Surgical Airway Advancement
- Similar to the other example. Bones of the upper and lower jaw will be repositioned in a way that will relieve airway obstruction.
- Nasal Strips
- Nasal strips are one of the earliest tools used to treat conditions like sleep apnea and its symptoms such as snoring. It’s good for mouth breathers.
Nowadays, there are newly developed nasal strips that you can try.
- Nasal strips are one of the earliest tools used to treat conditions like sleep apnea and its symptoms such as snoring. It’s good for mouth breathers.
- Oral Appliance
- Oral pieces is a good alternative for mouth breathers, it can help with sleep apnea and snoring.
They are custom made to make sure it prevents the obstruction in the airways and counter sleep apnea.
- Oral pieces is a good alternative for mouth breathers, it can help with sleep apnea and snoring.
- Avoid sedatives before going to sleep
- Certain sedatives can cause snoring. Consult a medical expert to determine what type of sedative may be the cause.
- Treat chronic allergies
- Some allergies can trigger obstruction in your body’s airways and may cause you to have sleep apnea and cause you to breathe through your mouth.
Treat or avoid triggering your allergies to avoid mouth breathing.
- Some allergies can trigger obstruction in your body’s airways and may cause you to have sleep apnea and cause you to breathe through your mouth.
- Try to avoid overworking yourself.
- Sometimes, simply going to sleep while totally exhausted can make our muscles relax too much to the point that it can lead to snoring.
- Avoid drinking liquor before bed.
- Excessive liquor can also relax the muscles that will lead to snoring. Limit alcohol consumption or avoid drinking too much before going to sleep.
- Sleep with your head elevated.
- When the head is not properly elevated, the tongue can fall back and block the air passage, causing the tissues to vibrate and snore.
You can also use an anti-snore pillow which will keep your head in proper place that can prevent you from snoring. Sleeping in a chair or a recliner chair is also an option.
- When the head is not properly elevated, the tongue can fall back and block the air passage, causing the tissues to vibrate and snore.
- Try to sleep on your sides.
- Sleeping flat on our backs can cause the tongue to fall back and block the airways. It can also make the muscles relax and cause snoring.
You can read about: “How to prevent sleeping on my back” to learn how you can keep sleeping on your sides.
- Sleeping flat on our backs can cause the tongue to fall back and block the airways. It can also make the muscles relax and cause snoring.
- Get plenty of exercises.
- Lack of physical activity can cause our body’s functionality to drop. This means that we need the right amount of exercise to keep our body “awake” and functioning even as we sleep.
- Stop or limit smoking.
- If your body inhales the smoke, it can cause the muscles inside to swell or become irritated, potentially blocking the airways and causing you to snore or have sleep apnea.
Those who are also exposed to secondhand smoke can be prone to snoring, so avoid getting near smoke as much as possible.
- If your body inhales the smoke, it can cause the muscles inside to swell or become irritated, potentially blocking the airways and causing you to snore or have sleep apnea.
- Drink enough water.
- When we are dehydrated, the throat becomes dry which makes the vibrating tissues sound louder and produces snoring. Stay hydrated to prevent sleep apnea!
- Eat a healthy diet.
- Our diet plays a huge part in our health! You should also avoid eating heavy before sleeping, if you go to sleep on a full stomach, your muscles may not work as it should.
- Sleep on time.
- Not getting the right amount of sleep and not sleeping early can cause the body to become dysfunctional and have sleep apnea.
- Lose weight.
- Being overweight or obesity will cause difficulty in breathing. The excess fat will get in the way of the air passages, causing tissues to vibrate and cause snoring or mouth breathing.
As you can see, some of these only involve basic lifestyle changes. However, if these aren’t enough to cure any one of your conditions, the best thing to do is see a doctor for better medications.
But how can you find out if you are actually a mouth breather that needs alternate solutions? Other than recording yourself during sleep, what else can be done? As you read on, you will find the answers you need.
How to tell if you are a mouth breather
The only accurate way to determine whether you are a mouth breather or not is by direct observation using a sleep study. The doctors will observe your sleeping habits to diagnose your sleeping conditions.
It is also said that if you are a mouth breather during the day, there is a high chance that you are also a mouth breather at night.
A physical examination can also help determine if one is a mouth breather, when the doctor looks through the nostrils or when finding out what’s causing persistent nasal congestion.
Doctors may ask about sleep, snoring, sinus problems, and difficulty in breathing.
For other cases, dentists can also find out if someone is a mouth breather during a routine dental examination to see if you have bad breathe, frequent cavities or gum disease.
If a dentist or doctor finds out that you have swollen tonsils, nasal polyps, and other conditions, they might end up referring you to a specialist like an ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor for better evaluation.
What are the risks for mouth breathers
If you happen to be a mouth breather and you haven’t found an alternative solution without CPAP, you should know about the potential risk factors. Check it out in the list below.
- Recurring sinus infection
- Chronic stress or anxiety
- Chronic allergies
- Hay fever
- Asthma
Though the chances of making the risks a reality is low, it is still best to avoid it. After all, it’s better to be safe than sorry later on.
How mouth breathing is common with CPAP
It has been observed that mouth breathing is a common problem among CPAP users. The CPAP delivers a constant flow of air that’s meant to keep the upper airway open to help users breathe easily.
However, if your mouth falls open while the air is being delivered through your nose using the CPAP mask, the air will escape and cause your mouth and throat to dry out.
If this continues, it may lead to other problems with the gums or teeth.
But most of all, it will definitely intervene with the effectiveness of the treatment which is why many mouth breathers may have problems with the CPAP treatment.
The good news is, there are now special masks designed for mouth breathers which can be paired with CPAP. However, the product continues to be properly developed for better user experience.
Usually, mouth breathing is the result of a nasal blockage which can be caused by a deviated septum, allergy or nasal infection.
Conditions like these can cause tissues known as turbinates to swell and obstruct the normal airflow.
Related Questions
How do I keep my mouth shut with CPAP?
You can use a chin strap along with your CPAP mask to keep your mouth closed to avoid air leak especially if you are wearing a nasal mask.
When you breathe through your mouth at night while wearing your CPAP, there’s a risk of worsening dry mouth which is why a chin strap can be a great help.
Which CPAP mask is best for mouth breathers?
Mouth breathers using CPAP masks can use a full face mask or the old nasal mask / nasal pillow mask with the addition of a chin strap that helps keep the mouth close.
The chin strap is necessary to help reduce mask leak. You have to make sure that you do your final fit and adjustment before you go to sleep to avoid removing the chin strap.
How do I keep my mouth shut while sleeping?
You may try using chin strap or anti-snore guard chin straps that can help keep your mouth closed during sleep. You simply have to make sure the strap fits properly to avoid removing it as you sleep.
There are different chin straps being sold online and some CPAP machines also come with a chin strap if you are a mouth breather.
