Primary Sjögren's syndrome

Columbia University's Salivary Gland Center (SGC) has examined more than 6,000 patients with a variety of concerns stemming from salivary gland disease and/or salivary secretory dysfunction. Not unexpectedly, the most common patient complaint centers around symptoms associated with dry mouth. Such patients are usually first seen by the dental practitioner. Because Sjögren's syndrome (SS) causes dry mouth, and because it is a relatively common entity--encountered in about three million Americans--and because the dental profession has become aware of its classic manifestation of xerostomia, patients experiencing SS are referred in increasing numbers to the SGC for evaluation. Therefore, the authors wish to call attention to the methodology used in accurately diagnosing SS and to illustrate its signs and symptoms with a case report.