SJÖGREN’S SYNDROME SECONDARY DIAGNOSED BY DENTIST: CASE REPORT

Abstract

Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune, multisystemic, and chronic inflammatory disease, requiring exocrine glands. We report the case of a patient, female, 41 years old, complaining of dryness of the oral cavity. Intraoral examination shows erythematous areas suggestive of erythematous candidiasis, with root remains and intense dryness of the mucous membranes. The diagnostic hypothesis to justify mucosal dryness was Sjögren’s syndrome. Diagnostic confirmation was carried out with a minor salivary gland biopsy of labial region. The histopathological diagnosis was sialadenitis, a comon disturbance of SS patients, being necessary to correlate with clinical features and laboratory findings. Artificial saliva was prescribed to reduce the symptoms of xerostomia. Exodontia was also performed and, according to the healing time, it was possible to rehabilitate the patient using total dentures. The patient was referred to the ophthalmologist and gynecologist. Early diagnosis performed by the trained dental surgeon evidences importance of this professional to perform a treatment previously, preventing opportunistic pathologies’ evolution. Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune, multisystemic, and chronic inflammatory disease, requiring exocrine glands. We report the case of a patient, female, 41 years old, complaining of dryness of the oral cavity. Intraoral examination shows erythematous areas suggestive of erythematous candidiasis, with root remains and intense dryness of the mucous membranes. The diagnostic hypothesis to justify mucosal dryness was Sjögren’s syndrome. Diagnostic confirmation was carried out with a minor salivary gland biopsy of labial region. The histopathological diagnosis was sialadenitis, a comon disturbance of SS patients, being necessary to correlate with clinical features and laboratory findings. Artificial saliva was prescribed to reduce the symptoms of xerostomia. Exodontia was also performed and, according to the healing time, it was possible to rehabilitate the patient using total dentures. The patient was referred to the ophthalmologist and gynecologist. Early diagnosis performed by the trained dental surgeon evidences importance of this professional to perform a treatment previously, preventing opportunistic pathologies’ evolution.