In the early 1900s, Swedish physician Henrik Sjögren (SHOW-gren) first described a group of women whose chronic arthritis was accompanied by dry eyes and mouth. Sjögren syndrome, also called Sjogren's syndrome, is a chronic autoimmune condition mainly affecting the salivary and tear glands. An autoimmune condition is when the body attacks parts of itself, like arthritis (joints) and type I diabetes (pancreas). Because Sjogren's syndrome causes mouth dryness, which leads to tooth decay, gum disease, difficulty swallowing, and pain, dentists are trained to recognize it. This post will cover what it is, who is susceptible to it, how it is diagnosed, and how to treat it.

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