Primary Sjögren's syndrome: salivary gland function and clinical oral findings

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate salivary gland function, saliva composition and oral findings in patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS) subdivided into patients with and without focus score ≤1 (FS) and/or antibodies to SSA/SSB (AB) as well as in healthy controls. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Unstimulated (UWS) and chewing stimulated (SWS) whole saliva, and stimulated parotid saliva (SPS) were collected in 16 patients fulfilling the European classification criteria for pSS subdivided into those with FS and/or AB (n= 8) and those without FS and AB (n= 8), and in age‐matched (n= 14) and young healthy controls (n= 13).UWS and SWS were analysed for Na+ and K+.SPS was analysed for Na+, K+, statherin, and proline‐rich proteins (PRPs).Sicca symptoms, DMFT/DMFS, plaque (PI) and gingival (GI) scores, periodontal pocket depth (PPD), and mucosal status were recorded. RESULTS: The young healthy controls had lower UWS as compared to the aged controls (P= 0.03).However, the aged controls had higher DMFT/DMFS (P < 0.001) and PI, GI and PPD (P < 0.01).Patients with FS and/or AB generally had lower saliva secretory rates than patients without FS and/or AB (P= 0.01 for UWS and SPS) and age‐matched healthy controls (P= 0.001). There was no significant difference in the content of Na+ and K+, statherin and PRPs between groupS. Patients with FS and/or AB had the highest frequency of oral mucosal changes and higher DMFT/DMFS than patients without FS and/or AB and healthy controls (P < 0.01).However, PI, GI, and PPD did not differ significantly. CONCLUSION: Patients with FS and/or AB had lower salivary secretory rates, higher DMFT/DMFS, and more oral mucosal changes than patients without FS and/or AB.Additionally, data suggest that salivary gland function in healthy individuals do not decrease with age.

Oral yeast colonization in patients with primary and secondary Sjögren's syndrome

“…The control individuals presented a greater variety of yeast species, whereas SS patients had higher CFU's counts. In this context, patients suffering from SS were already described as more susceptible to higher levels of oral yeast colonization (Almstahl et al., ; González, Sung, Sepúlveda, González, & Molina, ; Pedersen et al., ; Van der Meulen et al., ). Regarding the variety of microbial species, Siddiqui et al.…”

Oral symptoms and salivary findings in oral lichen planus, oral lichenoid lesions and stomatitis

“…In brief, the participants were asked to refrain from drinking, eating, chewing chewing-gum/pastilles, tooth brushing and smoking for one hour prior to the salivary measurement. The whole saliva samples were collected using the draining method [43]. Unstimulated and paraffin-chewing-stimulated whole saliva flow rates (UWS and SWS, respectively) were sampled over a 15-min and a 5 min-period, respectively.…”

“…Unstimulated and paraffin-chewing-stimulated whole saliva flow rates (UWS and SWS, respectively) were sampled over a 15-min and a 5 min-period, respectively. The citric acid stimulated parotid saliva (SPS) was sampled over a 5-min period [43]. To minimize the influence of the circadian cycle on the composition and flow rate of saliva, all procedures were performed in the same order between 9.00 am and 11.00 am every time.…”

Salivary characteristics and dental caries

“…8,9 Sjögren syndrome, an autoimmune disease, is characterized by a dramatically decreased salivary flow rate, and patients with this syndrome have higher rates of caries experience than those in control participants. 10,11,12,13,14,15 The long-term use of some medications with antisialogogue effects, such as β-adrenergic agonists, 16,17 corticosteroids 18 and psychotropics, 19,20 also has been shown to be associated with a high rate of caries experience.…”