If you suffer from moderate to severe sleep apnea, you understand the importance of adhering to the treatment protocol of using your CPAP machine every night. Unfortunately, knowing this intellectually and being confronted with the sometimes challenging side effects can be a different story. If you use a CPAP, dry mouth may occur often enough to discourage you from sticking with your treatment. These six tips might help.
Does a CPAP machine cause dry mouth?
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines are a first-line treatment for moderate to severe sleep apnea. There are several different types of PAP machines, including:
- CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure)
- BiPAP (bilevel positive airway pressure)
- VPAP (variable positive airway pressure)
Each type of PAP machine is designed to keep a sleeper’s airway open by delivering air to the back of the throat in various intervals. For those with severe sleep apnea, a CPAP machine can literally save your life, as they help reduce serious health risks of sleep apnea, including stroke and heart attack.
While the positive effects of a CPAP machine are many, some sleepers find the side effects to make treatment difficult. If you use a CPAP, waking up with dry mouth (also known as xerostomia) may be as routine as brushing your teeth in the morning.
CPAP dry mouth can be caused just by using your machine. If you use a nasal CPAP that only covers your nose to deliver air, your mouth may fall open at night, especially if you sleep on your back. Even if your mouth stays closed or you use a machine that covers both mouth and nose, dry air delivered across your mouth can dry up saliva as you sleep.
A poorly fitting mask or one that becomes dislodged every night can also contribute to CPAP dry mouth.
If you have other medical conditions that contribute to dry mouth (e.g., hypertension, diabetes, and anemia), these may also increase your risk of dry mouth, even if your mask is properly fitted and you breathe through a closed mouth.
Can it cause other problems?
It’s completely normal to occasionally have a dry mouth. Some people experience dry mouth when they are taking cold medications or if they have a stuffy nose. Others might naturally produce less saliva but enough to maintain good oral health.
CPAP dry mouth occurs consistently, however, and can result in health issues unrelated to breathing challenges.
A scratchy throat and bad breath are perhaps relieved by drinking a big glass of water in the morning, but dry mouth can have serious consequences for your oral health. CPAP dry mouth tooth decay is a real threat, caused by bacteria left in the mouth due to lack of saliva. Saliva naturally clears this bacteria. When it’s gone, bacteria lodges in any openings in the teeth, quickly multiplying.
According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, 30% of all cavities in older adults are caused by dry mouth. Left untreated, CPAP dry mouth can eventually lead to gum disease and tooth loss.
How to prevent CPAP dry mouth symptoms
There are a number of options to prevent CPAP dry mouth symptoms. Here are six of our favorite tips.
1. Use a chin strap
If you are a mouth breather during the day, chances are good that you are a mouth breather at night, too. A chin strap can be an easy solution.
There are a variety of options, but most are made of stretchy, soft fabric that fits over the top of your head and under your chin to keep your mouth closed at night.
2. Try an over-the-counter minty remedy
Xylitol is a natural product that increases saliva production with a delicious, minty flavor.
XyliMelts attach to your teeth or gums and are specially formulated to release xylitol all night long. Bonus: wake up with fresh breath!
3. Stay hydrated
If you go to bed thirsty or otherwise dehydrated, the chances of dry mouth increase.
Experts differ on how much water is adequate, but they all agree that staying hydrated is important. If you want to keep it simple, drink eight, eight-ounce glasses of water every day, adding another glass or two after strenuous physical activity (or in the summer).
4. Check your CPAP humidifier settings
Many CPAP machines come with a built-in humidifier to decrease the chances of CPAP dry mouth.
For some patients, the humidity and warmth of CPAP humidifier settings may be too much (or they may not know they exist!). Talk to your doctor about this feature and make adjustments until it is comfortable.
5. Make sure your mask fits well
One major cause of dry mouth (and poor treatment outcomes) is an ill-fitting mask.
A mask that is too small, too large, or too loose can increase the chances of CPAP dry mouth and all of the problems that come with it. Visit your doctor to get a proper fit.
6. Consider sleep apnea CPAP alternatives
Even though patients with severe sleep apnea know that a CPAP machine can save their life, one study showed that due to discomfort, noise, and side effects like dry mouth, fully 50% of patients stopped using their machine within one week of starting.
As Dr. Joseph Golish, the former chief of sleep medicine at the Cleveland Clinic and now a professor with the MetroHealth System in Cleveland noted: “… the success rate of an unused CPAP machine is absolutely zero.”
If you practice all of the steps above and still suffer from CPAP dry mouth or other CPAP side effects, you may want to consider sleep apnea dental devices and other complementary treatments like sleep positional therapy and sleep apnea pillows.
If you use a CPAP, dry mouth does not have to be part of your morning routine. Get in touch with the sleep apnea dentists in Phoenix, AZ at AZ Dentist to discuss treatment options!
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