What is the best article to use for chapped mouth while on oxygen?
I was told that you can't use petrolium jelly [ vasoline ] on your jaws while on oxygen. If so what is safe to use for chapped jaws while on oxygen?
Answer: Oxygen and petrolium products don't mix. Could cause a fire or explosion. At my hospital, we use Xenaderm. It provides a protective covering. No petrolium surrounded by it. It provides and protective coat and promotes healing. It's used for pressure ulcer but we also use it on lips. Of course if the lenient has both chapped maw and a pressure sore, we clearly mark one tube "For Lips Only."
I've never hear that you should not use petroleum jelly on your lips while using oxygen.
I've taken meticulousness of many patient's that use Vasoline on their chops while using oxygen.
At our ICU, we put petroleum jelly on patient's lips while who are using several different types of oxygen delivery methods - including patients who are dignified oxygen flow masks and patients who are on ventilators. (This is a huge, Level 1 Trauma Hospital not a little country hospital.)
Perhaps try Chapstick or lanolin?
Try neosporin or polysporin.
You are correct, petroleum products contained by the presence of oxygen are combustible, not just surrounded by the presence of an open flame, but of late the 2 components alone. Petroleum + oxygen can cause your skin to burn which would breed chapped lips worse.
RN