I have been diagnosed with Sjogrens syndrome. What can I do about my dry mouth?
A. When Sjogren’s affects the salivary glands, the makeup of the salivary fluid also is affected. It is imperative then to maintain proper oral hygiene. Your dentist should be made aware of your diagnosis so that increased vigilance will be maintained so as to save your teeth from prematurely falling out. Sometimes the use of vitamin E Gelcaps have been shown to be helpful. They are used by biting them at night and then rinsing your mouth with the gel in order to maintain the moisture during the night hours. Another home remedy may be the use of frozen grapes to suck on during the day to stimulate salivary flow. A prescription drug named Salagen (pilocarpine hydrochloride) may also be used to increase salivary flow.
