Somewhat odd snorkeling question...
 

Reading Owa's trip report reminded me of my last trip to the Caribbean, where snorkeling was the order of the day. And it made me think now of a problem that plagues me after an hour or so of snorkeling, but I never thought to ask about it.

I have an extremely small mouth (as a kid I had to have 8 teeth pulled before braces could be put on, that sort of thing). And after about an hour of snorkeling, my mouth gets really sore. Between the snorkel in my mouth and my mask pressing down between my nose and mouth, my teeth feel like they've been rearranged. I don't think it's from clenching my teeth, I think it's because of my mouth size. Anybody else ever have that happen? Do you reckon it could be alleviated by using a child's size snorkel instead of an adult's? I generally like my mask and the visibility it affords me (the lens extends around the corners, like an old-fashioned windshield, to afford better peripheral vision), but I'm wondering if it is ill-fitting?

Any tips? I feel a little silly. Thanks.

Hi ej!

I don't think it is an odd question at all!

I have the same problem, and the way I fixed it was to buy my own snorkel, and affix it with this doo-dad:

http://www.seacure1.com/regulato.htm

I have one on my SCUBA equipment and one on my snorkel.

I am small too, and had the added complication of braces as an adult. This thingy accommodates just about any kind of mouth "issues" you can dream up.

I would try that first, and also go to a dive shop and make sure your current mask fits properly.

For not a whole lot of money, you can get the whole situation rectified.

Good luck! :)

My 8yr old daughter complained about the snorkel being too big when she tried an adult one and is very happy with her child sized one.

Children's snorkel sets are very cheap so this might well be an option for you. Maybe the smaller child's mask will fit you too and be more comfortable.

If you are happy with your mask, by all means keep it and try the child size snorkel with it as these things do not necessarily have to match. I would also visit a dive shop and have them check your mask and make suggestions for your snorkel. I'm sure they encounter this problem often. The mouth piece is hard rubber and could place a good amount of pressure on your teeth and gums. The other thing I thought of is perhaps you could try to shave down the part that goes between your inner lip and gums/teeth. Keep searching for a solution, it's worth the effort!

Thanks for the responses, folks. The local dive shop where I bought my mask & snorkel has since gone out of business, which means I'd have to make a special trip several towns away to find another dive shop--guess I'll have to plan ahead.

I think my face/head might be too big for a child's size mask--my mouth is the only part of me that seems disproportionately small. I"ll definitely look for a child's snorkel, though, and see how that goes. Also a good thought to trim down the mouthpiece a little bit. I'll definitely check out the website for the doo-dad, too. :)

ejcrowe,

You may also want to make sure there isn't too much suction & pressure from your mask. If there is too much pressure, it can cause discomfort in the area you have described. I used to get a pain inbetween my upper lip and base of my nose. By very lightly blowing with your nose, it will lesson the pressure/suction from your mask to your face. It really helped me a lot, and no more pain, even after snorkeling for hours...which we tend to do. The other replies all sound very good, so if the other suggestions do not resolve the issue, try simply relieving the pressure .

ej,

I'm small also - 5'1" and I wonder if this why my mouth aches after snorkelling for any length of time. I don't think I have a small mouth for my size - DH would certainly say I don't due to all the noise that comes out of it ;-)

Next year I'm going to try it! Hey, I wear petite clothing why not a petite snorkel :-)