sensitive teeth and nasal pillows

Did anyone experience sever teeth sensitivity/pain with the nasal pillows ? My teeth hurt all day and are terribly sensitive to cold. My headahces (back of head) are also so much more severe since I started CPAP 3 weeks ago. On the good side...the daily fatigue is improving!
Any help will be greatly appreciated.

I've had sensitive teeth for decades. They have not gotten better or worse since starting CPAP. Sometimes my teeth feel odd shortly before I get a cold or the flu. I doubt the CPAP is the reason for your dental sensitivity.

Glad to read that you feel the fatigue lifting.

I’ve seen this question a couple of times.

I paid attention to them because my own perception of my oral health changed after I started CPAP but my daily oral hygiene routine had not.

I was watching a National Geographic special on Meth and they were talking one of the many factors for “Meth mouth” had to do with the fact that they usually were severely dehydrated and the gums need saliva to be hydrated. Salvia is natures’ way of keeping our mouths clean.

I wonder if saliva production, for some, is suppressed somehow as a result of suppressing whatever that is that allows us to only breath under pressure through our nose; like the swallowing reflex or something like that.

Don’t know…just thinking out loud…

Rob

donnalynn wrote:Did anyone experience sever teeth sensitivity/pain with the nasal pillows ? My teeth hurt all day and are terribly sensitive to cold. My headahces (back of head) are also so much more severe since I started CPAP 3 weeks ago. On the good side...the daily fatigue is improving!
Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Are you breathing through your mouth while using the nasal pillows? If so, the therapy is ineffective and you need to switch to a full face mask.

I'd hazard a guess that you're mouth breathing at some point. Not only does the air dry out your mouth and gums, but the cool air rushing past sensitive teeth may aggravate them making them hurt.

Do you tape your mouth or use a chinstrap?

Wind blowing through the mouth would certainly explain why someone would have a dry mouth and I’m sure that is the case for some. I know in my case I am not mouth breathing. I had a program “dream weaver” on my Mac and it recorded sounds and video of my sleep.


ETA: wait that program was called "dreamcacher"

donnalynn wrote:Did anyone experience sever teeth sensitivity/pain with the nasal pillows ? My teeth hurt all day and are terribly sensitive to cold. My headahces (back of head) are also so much more severe since I started CPAP 3 weeks ago. On the good side...the daily fatigue is improving!
Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Oh so sorry - I have sensitive teeth also and can understand. In my 2nd sleep study they tried me with nasal pillows and I had headache pain as well as dizziness which made me nauseous within 30 seconds - so they put the cradle cushion on and it was much better......I am still using the cradle and its starting to have some good results as of last night. All the nerves to the teeth are so very sensitive and also think of bing given Novacaine for dental work - it makes your nose numb and lots of things - even ears. So thinking conversely, forcing cold air into your nasal cavity could certainly affect those nerves to cause painful teeth - maybe someone else on here could give you anecdotal success solutions. Glad you are having some success though!

I noticed the first day after starting with my CPAP machine (at first used a nasal mask and after a month or so switched to nasal pillows) that my front upper teeth hurt. It physically hurt to bite into my food if the food was the least bit chewy (like an English muffin). Even after switching to the nasal pillows which I hoped would greatly help, I still regularly have that problem. I haven't been able to figure out if it is the weight of the mask or the nasal pillow apparatus pressing down on my upper lip area or if it is my tongue pressing against my teeth or a combination of both. I mentioned my concern to my doctor, and he hadn't heard about people having trouble with their teeth hurting but felt the nasal pillows might help the problem. I wish I could say they had, but any help has been slight, if any. I also am concerned that my teeth could be moving. I guess I'll have to keep watching but am going to try an OTC mouth guard until I can afford a custom one.

I had that problem when I used a nasal mask. It went away when I got my full face mask.

Are you using a heated humidifier? Try turning the heat up if you are and make the air warmer.

Can you please specify WHAT nasal pillows caused this problem? Some put pressure on the upper lip and gums, and perhaps there is a nerve there that is impinged. Other nasal pillows can totally avoid putting any pressure there.

I have been using Nasal pillows for around 8 months now. Since last November I started feeling a kind of pain in one of the front tooth and the one beside it. It feels like I was pushing the teeth in the night.

My dentist knows nothing related to OSA.

I went to the country I was born this past December and I made make the kind of plastic protector used for the people with bruxism (the habit of grinding the teeth, esp unconsciously, sleeping). To my amazement I caught myself biting this thing, so I indeed bite/push the teeth with the tongue in the night. I think it's worse when the pressure goes high. What I don't understand is why it happens only to the right side teeth.

I politely suggest that you have to schedule an appointment for a dental consultation. These professionals can explain you in detailed what was really going on with you. As for now, you can take a pain-reliever.

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Sunnyvale Dentist | Glendale dentist | Dentist Glendale

I have a full mask since I am a mouth breather, and I have had a horrible problem with teeth sensitivity since starting my cpap machine. I don't know why or what to do about it.

Shelleypg19 wrote:I have a full mask since I am a mouth breather, and I have had a horrible problem with teeth sensitivity since starting my cpap machine. I don't know why or what to do about it.

- Stay well hydrated.

- Brush and floss well before you go to bed. Use a toothpaste for sensitive teeth. https://www.google.com/search?q=toothpa ... =firefox-a

- Apply Biotene gel just before you put your mask on. http://www.biotene.com/Products/Gel.aspx

Good luck!