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We invited you to complete a Quick Poll about managing Sjögren's Syndrome (SjS) patients. SjS is an autoimmune disease that primarily affects exocrine glands, such as salivary and lacrimal glands, but also frequently involves extraglandular sites throughout the body. The most common symptoms are dry mouth, dry eyes, fatigue, and musculoskeletal pain. The purpose of this Quick Poll was to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of dental practitioners in managing patients with SjS.
Main Quick Poll Findings:
- More than 90% of dentists reported seeing patients with SjS.
- More than 2/3 of dentists noticed the most common signs and symptoms (hyposalivation, or root, cervical, or incisal/cusp tip dental caries) but only 12% noted enlarged salivary glands.
- The most frequent management options recommended were OTC saliva substitutes (e.g., Biotene) (81%), supplemental daily use of OTC or prescription-strength fluoride products (78%), and non-pharmacological salivary stimulants (e.g., sugar-free chewing gum/mints/candies/XyliMelts) (76%).
- 75% of dentists agreed or strongly agreed a National Dental PBRN clinical study examining current dental management approaches and oral health outcomes (success/failure) in patients with SjS would be of benefit.
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