Page 134 - 16-3 May 15 2019
P. 134

Avoiding


        the


        CPAP Mask...



        Comfort




        is King






                    hile  CPAPs  ef-   An oral appliance, on the     the constant hum of a CPAP
                    fectively   treat   other hand, consists of two   machine.
         W the  symptoms  of           small devices that look like   Since they don’t make noise,
        obstructive sleep apnea, they’re   mouthguards or retainers.   oral devices make travel easy
        not  always  the  best  option.  In   They’re held together by a   on those you’re traveling
        mouth) can treat your sleep ap-Bulletin                      with, too. Those sharing your
        many  cases,  oral  appliances
                                       small hinge and snap onto
        (small devices you wear in your
                                       your lower and upper teeth.
                                                                     sleeping space don’t have to
        QHD V\PSWRPV MXVW DV H൵HFWLYH-  This device moves the jaw    listen to the CPAP machine all
        ly as a CPAP machine and with   forward and into an alignment   night, nor do they have to listen
        much less hassle. Here’s why:   that keeps your airways open.   to you snore.
                                       Due to how they’re designed,
        Oral appliances                oral devices tend to be more   Oral appliances
        stay in place                                                are simple to
        better than                    comfortable than CPAP         care for
        CPAP masks                     machines.
        CPAP machines use masks that   Oral appliances               When you have a CPAP
                                                                     machine, it requires daily care.
        cover either your nose or your   travel easily
        nose and mouth, straps that    If you’ve never seen a CPAP,   Each morning when you wake
        hold the mask in place, and a   it’s more than just a mask and   up, you have to clean your
        motor that blows a continuous   straps. A tube attaches the mask   mask with soap and warm
        stream of air into your lungs,   to a machine, which holds the   water and dry it with a towel.
                        keeping your   motor and pushes the air. While   Once a week, wash the CPAP
                           airways     the machines are smaller now   tube in your shower, letting
                             open.     than in the past, they’re not   the water run through it. Wash
                                                                     RU FKDQJH WKH PDFKLQH¶V ¿OWHU
                                       always easily portable.       once a month.
                                       Oral appliances, though, are
                        Looking        small enough to put in your   Oral appliances require
                        forward to      pocket and take with you     little care. Clean them as
                                                                     you do your teeth, brushing
                        greeting you       to a hotel. They’re not   gently with a toothbrush
                                             only easily portable,
                        personally!             but they’re also     and nonabrasive toothpaste.
                                                                     Store in cool water with half
                        J. Doueck                 quiet, silent in   teaspoon of dishwashing
                                                     fact, unlike
                                                                     liquid (Like Palmolive).
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