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CPAP Users Should Use Distilled Water With CPAPMost people ask the question of; "why use distilled water with CPAP?" The answer is simple. Distillation removes the trace minerals found naturally in tap water. Trace minerals found in water to help prevent tooth decay, promote healthy teeth and help to eliminate buildup on the teeth. The use of distilled water with CPAP provides a refreshing, mineral free alternative for patients who are using CPAP to breathe through their mouths. Research has shown that drinking pure water with CPAP has many benefits over using bottled water. Distilled water is a good alternative to traditional soft drinks that are full of sugar and caffeine. There are no chemicals added to the water so there is no worry about side effects from drinking regular soft drinks. While most brands of water with CPAP do not provide a taste that is great, distilled water with CPAP provides a refreshing taste that eliminates dry mouth. Dry mouth occurs when the patient's mouth becomes irritated and dry, causing the patient to chew their oral healthcare products. Dry mouth occurs because the patient's salivary glands are working at a reduced level. Oral dehydration occurs when saliva production decreases. Doctors recommend flushing the mouth with fresh water after taking oral fluoride treatments such as those found with the fluoride treatments. However, flushing the mouth with flushing liquids such as diet colas, sports drinks, or other liquids does not remove the dry mouth problem, only alleviates the pain from it. Using distilled water with CPAP helps to replenish the salivary glands' supplies and eliminates dry mouth, allowing patients to feel better throughout the night. Learn How To Clean CPAP here! Salt and minerals found in regular tap water can also cause dry mouth when they are used with CPAP machines. The salt used to rinse the face masks and humidifiers is often very fine, which allows it to dissolve into the water. This salty residue can stick to the filters in the machines causing them to become clogged and result in dry mouth. If this happens, CPAP cannot deliver clean air to the patient and will fail. Do CPAP Cleaners clean? Water that is used to rinse the mask can also be contaminated with sodium chloride. This salt can come from the water used to fill the humidifiers and face masks and can enter the patient's body through the sweat glands. When it comes in contact with the filters on the CPAP units, the sodium chloride crystals form small needle-like structures that cause the flow of the fluid to stop and prevent clean air from being delivered to the mask and the mouth. Therefore, doctors advise that both fresh and salt water be used to bathe and rinse the CPAP unit. Read more about cleaning at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/14/home-cleaning-services-what-to-know_n_5660048.html. Why use distilled water with CPAP? CPAP is a necessary treatment for obstructive sleep apnea and many doctors recommend its use. However, the CPAP user has to take in an adequate amount of air pressure to allow for proper breathing and if the water used to rinse the mask is contaminated with salt or other impurities, it may not give the right amount of water to enter the lungs and relieve the user of his or her airway problems. So while the water does not need to be pure -which many people are afraid of--it is best to avoid using tap-water to bathe your CPAP unit and instead use distilled water to ensure clean air is delivered to the mask. |