Sjögren's syndrome is a chronic autoimmune disease.
It affects glands that make moisture and often causes dry mouth and eyes.
It can also lead to dryness in other areas such as nose, throat and skin.
It is usually accompanied by autoimmune disorders such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.
CAUSES Sjögren's syndrome is an autoimmune disease which means your immune system mistakenly attacks parts of your body.
In this condition, your immune system attacks glands that make tear and saliva.
This damages the glands and causes dry mouth and eyes.
The exact cause of Sjögren's syndrome is unknown even though doctors believe it may be triggered by a combination of gene or environmental factors such as viral and bacterial infections.
This syndrome may also affect parts of the body such as

• thyroid
• kidney
• liver
• lungs
• nerves
• joints
• skin

RISK FACTORS Anyone can develop Sjögren's syndrome but some people are at high risk of getting it and these people include the following

• women
• people aged 40 years and above
• people with rheumatoid diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis

SYMPTOMS The main symptom of Sjögren's syndrome are dry eyes and dry mouth.
If the disease however affects other parts of the body such as skin, joints, lungs, kidneys, blood vessels, digestive organs, and nerves, you may experience other symptoms such as

• skin rashes
• dry skin
• vaginal dryness
• thyroid problems
• joint and muscle pain
• numbness and tingling in the arms and legs
• chronic dry cough

TEST AND DIAGNOSIS To diagnose this syndrome, the doctor will do a physical exam and ask for your medical history.
He may also the following tests.
Blood test: A number of blood tests will be done to check for certain antibodies that signifies the presence of an autoimmune disease.
Eye test: These include

• shirmer test which is used to measure dryness in your eye
• Rose Bengal test detects scratches on the surface of the eye

Biopsy: A lip biopsy may be done to check for clusters of inflammatory cells.
TREATMENT Treatment of this disease may depend on the part of the body affected and may differ from person to person.
Treatment focuses on getting rid of symptoms.
They include

• medications to make more saliva
• medications for joint or muscle pain
• medications to suppress the immune system
• medications to suppress inflammation

Treatment for dry eyes: These include

• medications to reduce inflammation
• eye ointment to protect and keep the eyes wet for several hours
• artificial tears (eye drops) to treat dry eyes
• surgery to shut the tear ducts that drain tears from the eye
• a chemical that wets the surface of the eye and keeps the natural tears from drying out so fast

Treatment for dry mouth: These include

• chewing gum or sucking on hard candy to make more saliva
• taking medication that helps make more saliva
• using oil or petroleum-based lip balm or lipstick to help dry, cracked lips feel better
• sipping on water throughout the day

To prevent cavities, you should brush and floss after eating meals and snacks.
Using a toothpaste with fluoride may help prevent cavities.