Sjögren's Syndrome is a systemic and chronic inflammatory disease of an autoimmune nature whose triggering causes are not yet well known. The disease mainly affects women, with an average age of around 50-60 years, but can be found in other people.
Symptoms
The main clinical symptoms concern the eyes, with dry eyes and consequent sensation of sand in the eyes (xerophthalmia), and the mouth with a strong decrease in salivary secretion and consequent difficulty in eating and swallowing (xerostomia). It can also affect the mucous membranes, and also manifest itself with joint difficulties such as stiffness and pain. Furthermore, the lymph nodes may also be involved, which can increase in size, even significantly. It has also been seen that patients with Sjögren's syndrome have a particularly high risk - 40 times greater - of developing non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.
Diagnosis
When the symptoms related to severe dryness, whether ocular or oral, persist for a period of more than three months, the suspicion that it is Sjögren's syndrome is stronger and specific tests will be required:
- Clinical evaluation
- Ocular and salivary gland tests
- Serological tests
What can be done for dry mouth due to Sjögren's?
Salivary glands that still produce a little saliva can be stimulated to produce more by chewing gum or dissolving a hard candy in the mouth; both must be sugar-free, given that dry mouth makes you very exposed to the onset of tooth decay. It is useful to drink small sips of water or other sugar-free drinks, often throughout the day, to moisten the mouth, especially when eating or speaking. It is important that they are small sips; drinking large quantities of liquids during the day does not help to make the mouth less dry, but only serves to urinate more frequently, and risks washing the mouth of mucus, causing even greater dryness. Dry, chapped lips can be softened with the use of lip balms, balms or oily lipsticks. If your mouth is sore, your doctor may prescribe a medication in the form of a mouthwash, ointment, or gel to apply to the inflamed areas to control pain and inflammation.
If a person produces very little saliva, or none at all, the doctor may recommend a saliva substitute. These products copy some properties of saliva, ie they make the mouth feel moist, and if they contain fluoride they help prevent cavities. Saliva substitutes in the form of gels provide the greatest relief because they last longer, but all products are limited by the fact that you end up swallowing them anyway.
There are at least two drugs that stimulate the salivary glands to produce saliva. They are pilocarpine and cevimeline. The effects last a few hours and can be taken three or four times a day. However, they are not suitable for everyone, and their intake must be established together with your doctor.
People who have dry mouth can easily be affected by infections. Candidiasis, a fungal infection of the mouth, is the most frequent in Sjogren's syndrome. It appears as white patches in the mouth, which you can scratch off, or as red areas that burn. Treatment is carried out with fungicidal drugs. Viruses and bacteria can also cause infections; are treated with specific antiviral drugs or antibiotics.
If you have any questions about dry mouth, contact us today.