Is mouth taping safe?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:34 pm

I have sometimes read here the suggestion to tape one's mouth closed to make sure no air escapes. I have been waking up with an extremely dry mouth and wonder if that would help me.

BUT, this seems risky to me. What if the CPAP malfunctions or losses power and cuts off air to the nose? Wouldn't a taped mouth lead to suffocation at that point?

Many here recommend mouth taping, so I assume its a standard practice approved by doctors? Is this so?

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:39 pm

Hmmm ... well you shure don't want to get into a shouting match while taped up cuz you are going to loose.

Don't know about doctor approval ... don't need to tape myself but as you already know, many others do.

The masks are designed to prevent suffocation ... some better than others.

Have you considered a full face mask? That would resolve your concerns ... or you can try to train yourself not to leak from your mouth?

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:42 pm

is taping safe?

ask yourself, when was the last time you puked in your sleep?

Probably never, because most people that have done that in their sleep are found deceased unless someone else was around to notice it.

Your natural fight or flight response is to remove anything from your mouth when you are not getting enough air. If you tape, do so horizontally using only 1 piece of tape across the lips and fold back about 1/4" of the tape back over itself to make a quick-removal flap. Since I'm right handed, the flap is on my right side. I use the 3M 1" wide paper surgical medical tape and it works fine. Doesn't irritate the skin, doesn't rip your lips off when removing. But it is hit or miss for me if I'll mouth breathe, I use a saline nasal rinse regularly, I use a BreatheRight strip under my mask.

Recommended by doctors? are you kidding? No doctor in their right mind would recommend doing that, not because you may suffocate from it, because their liability insurance would go through the roof if they did tell you that. Most medicine suggested today is only so they can avoid a law suit, even if the chances of something happening are remote.

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:44 pm

Mouthtaping isn't generally approved by Dr.s. As long as you have the ability to remove the nasal interface if you can't get air through it, and don't drink or drug yourself into a stupor, you should wake up and remove the mask.

The alternative of using a nasal mask incorrectly and losing the benefits of treatment, aren't much better.

If you want to be paranoid about taping get a FF Mask, and a power backup battery system. Life doesn't come with guarantees, you need to figure the odd,s on your own. A bus might come through your bedroom window and smash your XPAP. Life is funny. Jim

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brackstone · Post by **brackstone** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:51 pm

DreamStalker wrote:Hmmm ... well you shure don't want to get into a shouting match while taped up cuz you are going to loose.

Don't know about doctor approval ... don't need to tape myself but as you already know, many others do.

The masks are designed to prevent suffocation ... some better than others.

Have you considered a full face mask? That would resolve your concerns ... or you can try to train yourself not to leak from your mouth?

Oh wow I thought you guys were joking about taping my mouth shut in that other thread. I'm sorry for doubting you

Do a lot of people do this? I thought I was just alone having THIS many problems getting my CPAP treatment to work.

meister · Post by **meister** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:57 pm

Well, hundreds of folks on these forums tape on a regular basis. I
was pretty leary at first, but now it is a very natural thing to do. Most
nights I pop in my Dental device and put on the tape to keep my
lips from separating. I have thought many times that I would die
during the night, especially when both nose holes plug up. The funny
thing is that since I start taping, I can go to bed congested, but while
I am sleeping, my body figures out that it better open the nose holes
up, since no air is going through the mouth. Some folks who tape
leave a note by their bed to let folks know that they are not trying to kill
themselves! The only sure thing which I have learned is that if someone
ever did die from taping, for some reason they don't post anything
on these forums to tell the rest of us about it. If you would feel better,
call your local coroner and ask them how many bodies do they pickup
per year for folks who died with their mouth taped closed.
My understanding is that if your body wants that tape off, you will get
a huge surge of adrenaline and you will jump up and pull off the tape.
It has something to do with the levels of O2 and CO2 in your body.
Sort of like trying to kill yourself by holding your breath. Best of luck!
The dreaded "cottonmouth" definitely woke me up for many nights
before I taped. I even tried sleeping with a wet rag stuck in my mouth.
Anyone been there, done that?

Snoozin' Bluezzz · Post by **Snoozin' Bluezzz** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 6:06 pm

I taped fearlessly and successfully but now I use Poli-grip strips equally fearlessly and successfully with a great deal more comfort. I can pop my mouth open to cough if I need to, get a sip of water, take an analgesic, eat a Tums or whatever and then it reseals again with a lick of the lips. It works multiple times during the night. I am a huge fan and if they ever quit making them I'll be virtually inconsolable for a brief while as I resume taping.

There are a multitude of threads on the what, the how, the safety concerns, types of tape, sizes of tape, removal tabs, horizontal taping, vertical taping, 1" taping, 2" taping, duct taping (yeah, you heard me!) etc. Happy hunting.

David

tomjax · Post by **tomjax** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 6:09 pm

Is taping ones mouth safe?

This is perhaps the most loaded question ever presented on this forum..

Some people would probably be better off their entire life if their mouth were taped from birth.

Others would be better off it they taped their mouth shut at very selected times.

Many people show their intelligence when their mouths are open, others display for all the world to see their ignorance when closed.

The problem is that most people never know if it is better to keep their mouths open or closed.
Many contemporary examples abound.

Who should be kept closed and who are safe to leave open?

Hilary?
ALGORE?
Ann coulter?
Al Franken?
O'reilly?
Rush?
Global warning alarmists?
Peter Pace?
The Pope?
Moi?
Poster of choice ------------------?
ID folks?

all of the above?
None of the above?
Who cares?

nuff for now.
tomjax

track · Post by **track** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 6:13 pm

If you swallow or take in air during the night, taping isn't a good alternative. I usually wake up after an hour or two asleep and have to unload a bucket full of air out my mouth. ..not to mention it adds an element of risk given you are experiencing stomach issues you never had prior to cpap.

I have been alternating between the soyala ff and the Ultra mirage Ff masks. They work fine and I prefer them to taping.
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DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 6:14 pm

tomjax wrote:Is taping ones mouth safe?

This is perhaps the most loaded question ever presented on this forum..

Some people would probably be better off their entire life if their mouth were taped from birth.

Others would be better off it they taped their mouth shut at very selected times.

Many people show their intelligence when their mouths are open, others display for all the world to see their ignorance when closed.

The problem is that most people never know if it is better to keep their mouths open or closed.
Many contemporary examples abound.

Who should be kept closed and who are safe to leave open?

Hilary?
ALGORE?
Ann coulter?
Al Franken?
O'reilly?
Rush?
Global warning alarmists?
Peter Pace?
The Pope?
Moi?
Poster of choice ------------------?
ID folks?

all of the above?
None of the above?
Who cares?

nuff for now.
tomjax

... then there are ear plugs to resolve the issues noted by Tom ... add some eye patches and you be set to be the pinball wizard

snoozeandlose · Post by **snoozeandlose** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 6:18 pm

Been taping for at least two years. Never had a problem. I have reflux and have coughed up some stomach juices one night--I ripped that sucker off in no time flat. I have never been able to get either of my FF masks to fit without leaks. Give it a try without going to sleep some time if that will make you feel less anxious about the whole idea. I once told a sleep doc about taping and he refused to take me seriously. Good luck.

nana · Post by **nana** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 6:52 pm

meister wrote:Some folks who tape
leave a note by their bed to let folks know that they are not trying to kill
themselves! The only sure thing which I have learned is that if someone
ever did die from taping, for some reason they don't post anything
on these forums to tell the rest of us about it. If you would feel better,
call your local coroner and ask them how many bodies do they pickup
per year for folks who died with their mouth taped closed.

Meister
I have to tell you that I've had such a good laugh with your post. Just what I needed. Thanks, Nana

scotty · Post by **scotty** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 8:17 pm

I used to tape my mouth, but I don't mouth breathe/leak very often anymore.

As for suffocating if the power went off or the machine shut off, think about what's going on when you're using the mask with the machine running -- you inhale AND you exhale. There are vents on the mask. If the machine didn't allow you to exhale you'd just inflate. haha. Either that or the continuous air pressure would travel through your digestive track and create a continuous release of air down below. If you thought your spouse hated your snoring I think they'd like the parachute effect with the bedsheets even less. (Sorry, that's gross!)

Seriously, though, it's fine. It's simple enough to test it for yourself: put on the mask with the machine off and try a relaxed steady breathing through your nose.

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 8:22 pm

Most of the people around here that die with their mouths taped, die from the bullet hole in their heads. Jim

roster · Post by **roster** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 8:33 pm

It is safe and easy. I did it for six months. I told my sleep doctor (he is a very good one) about it and he said, "Whatever works for you".

If the power goes off, you just breathe through the vent holes in the mask (until you have an apnea episode caused by no power).

Last August when the Hybrid mask became available, I tried it and it has been an excellent solution that does not require mouth taping.

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Additional Comments: Strictly a side sleeper