CPAP dry mouth is one of the main causes to abandon the CPAP therapy.
Dry mouth is a sign of air leaking from your CPAP mask or from sleeping with your mouth open.
There are many effective ways to prevent and treat dry mouth from CPAP, such as:
1) Eliminate the Cause : Firstly, you have to discover why you are a mouth breather. It could be that something is blocking your nose, like deviated septum, or nasal congestion. If you have dry mouth and a stuffy nose, you may want to discuss your nasal obstructions with your sleep specialist. CPAP therapy can be difficult while having nasal problems.
2) Using CPAP Humidifier: Heated humidification is very important to prevent CPAP dry mouth. Sleep doctors believe that everyone should benefit from heated humidification, especially those with mid to high range pressures. I hope you are using your humidifier, and remember, it’s the moisture you want, not necessarily the heat. Some patients with successful CPAP treatment, keep their heat settings only on 2, even on their high pressure. Humidity seems to be a very personal thing but maybe try turning it down a few notches and see what happens.
3) Drinking Water: Keeping a glass of water by the bedside is another good idea. It’s a good practice to take a few sips of water in the middle of the night, perhaps even to have a small cup ready next to your bed to avoid having to get up.
4) Using a Full Face Mask: It doesn’t matter if you have mouth leaks, because the air is still contained within the mask. So you’ll get good CPAP therapy whether you’re breathing through your nose or mouth. However, even with full face masks some CPAP users can have dry mouth. But they will have their air pressure maintained.
5) Keeping Your Mouth Closed: You can use a CPAP chinstrap by Respironics to keep your mouth closed during sleep.
For some people simply keeping the jaw “up” seals the mouth by also keeping the tongue up and allows the tongue to maintain an airtight seal inside the mouth. If that works, that’s the simplest solution to CPAP dry mouth.