Re: Dry Mouth / Sjogren's Sydrome in Autoimmune patients/from H

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 1/7/03 9:10:49 AM Pacific Standard Time, Hob writes:

Here is the note for the list:

While in the doctor's office I picked up a flyer he had about secondary Sjogren's Syndrome with RA / autoimmunity.

It had a questionnaire about dry mouth and dry scratchy eyes or eyes that run tears for no reason. It also mentioned problems swallowing caused by dryness. All these problems should be reported to/discussed with your Rheumatologist.

My dentist had already told me my mouth was dry and that I should consider using the Biotene dental products which help dry mouth.

The flyer said that if you have dry mouth you should keep a bottle of water on your nightstand and in your work area so it is always handy to hydrate your mouth, etc.

It indicated that the syndrome can be fairly common among patients with auto immune disorders.

If you have dry mouth and dry scratchy eyes that are bad enough to use artificial tears more than a couple of times a day be sure to report it to your doctor. Also look into Biotene dental products -- toothpaste and mouthwash.

The flyer emphasized dental health. It said that people with dry mouth need to have their teeth cleaned-checked every 90 days because dry mouth encourages the growth of bacteria. Brushing and using a mouthwash and flossing more than once a day becomes very important for people with dry mouth.