A person who is suffering from sleep apnea needs a continuous positive airway pressure machine to sleep well and have some rest in life. Therefore, you may get excited about the CPAP, but it causes some side effects. Well, obviously a sleep-deprived person wants some peaceful nights in life. Thus, the machine becomes necessary for them. But, it also welcomes some of the unavoidable circumstances like dry mouth and dental diseases. The purpose of the machine is to provide fresh and positive air to the upper respiratory system of the patient. It attaches to the nose and mouth of the person. Thus, it can fulfill the deficiency of air in the person. It allows a peaceful night and sleeps for the patient. But, due to a specific pressure of the air in the mouth, it creates dryness which is bad for dental health. The victim feels a dry cotton feeling in the mouth every morning. This common disease has solutions and treatments. Therefore, there is nothing to worry about having a dry mouth after the use of a continuous positive airway pressure machine. First, see how this appliance works and causes dry mouth in the patient. Therefore, it requires little adjustments and precautions that can cure your mouth and dental issues.
What is the Purpose of CPAP Machine and How Does it Work?
According to the Journal of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, almost 3 to 9% of people are suffering from sleep apnea. The common type of this disease is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). In this condition, your airways become blocked. You feel this blockage during sleep; thus, you cannot breathe peacefully and properly. Therefore, you require a machine for proper breathing and sleep. The CPAP can treat your blocked airways. Also, it can cure obstructive sleep apnea problems by pushing the air through the nose. It works during your sleep and passes the air by pressing the air in a forwarding direction through the mouth and nose.
Why CPAP Causes Dry Mouth?
As I said earlier, machine and sleep apnea has various types. Thus, the treatment depends on it. It matters, either the mask is covering your mouth, nose, or both parts of the face. In case the CPAP machine working through the nose only, then there are almost no to fewer chances of catching dry mouth. However, in the case of the mask on your mouth, the patient will definitely suffer from the dental issue, dry mouth. It can reduce the appropriate level of saliva in the mouth and cause different dental diseases. It can affect the health of gums and roots. Moreover, if the machine is pressuring the air through the nose only, but you are sleeping with the mouth open. Then, you will feel the mouth dryness in the morning. Moreover, sometimes the mask’s size is bigger, it does not fit on your mouth, it allows the air to pass in, and then it causes dry mouth.
Prevent CPAP Dry Mouth
The first thing you can do is to have a machine that covers your mouth and nose. A mask that can only cover the nose or loose is not appropriate for dental health. Thus, the first thing is the type of CPAP machine’s mask. The second paramount element is its size. Choose the measurement of the mask according to the mouth’s size. It should not allow air to pass in. Thus, your mouth’s health will be good.
However, if you want to use the mask that only covers the nose area, then add a chin strap to your daily appliance. It will close your mouth and you won’t catch dry mouth problems. Apart from these precautions, doctors sometimes suggest and recommend some medications as well. However, it depends on the patient’s case.
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