Embarrassing Illnesses

Oral hygiene

Due to your increased risk of infection, it is vital that you maintain an excellent oral hygiene regime. The advice listed below should help.

• Brush your teeth after every meal with fluoride toothpaste.
• Floss your teeth once a day.
• Use a fluoride mouthwash once a day.
• Limit the amount of sweet and sticky food you eat as these foods will increase the risk of tooth decay. Starchy foods such as crisps, white bread and biscuits should also be avoided, as these will increase the amount of bacteria in your mouth, which will increase the risk of toothy decay.
• Make sure that you attend all your scheduled dental check-ups. Most people with Sjogren's syndrome are recommended to have a check-up every six months.

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

It is estimated that people with Sjogren's syndrome are 18 times more likely to develop non-Hodgkin's lymphoma than people without Sjogren's syndrome.

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is comprised of a series of vessels and glands known as lymph nodes. This system spreads throughout your body; much like your blood vessels.

While this increased risk may sound alarming, it should be stressed that the chances of you developing non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is still unlikely.

Nevertheless, you should remain vigilant and check for the early symptom of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, which is a painless swelling in a lymph node (gland), usually in the neck, armpit or groin. Report any swollen lymph nodes to your GP.

Pregnancy

If you are planning to become pregnant and have Sjogren's syndrome you should ask your GP to test for certain antibodies that can be caused by Sjogren's syndrome and are known to cause lupus (a condition where the immune system attacks healthy tissue) in new born babies. In very rare cases, the antibodies can also cause heart defects in babies.

If these antibodies are found there should be no reason why you cannot proceed with the pregnancy but your child may require additional specialist care after the birth.