There is no cure for Sjögren's syndrome. But treatment can help control your symptoms. Treatment options include medications to supplement tears and saliva, as well as measures you can take at home to prevent eye damage and dental problems.

Initial treatment

You can control your symptoms of Sjögren's syndrome, which are often distressing but are rarely disabling.¹ Your health professional may suggest home treatment to:

• Provide moisture to your eyes and mouth, by using artificial teardrops and saliva.
• Prevent eye damage, by protecting your eyes from wind, smoke, and other irritants.
• Prevent dental problems, by brushing and flossing your teeth.
• Prevent fatigue, by balancing rest and exercise.
• Relieve respiratory and skin problems, by humidifying your home and office and using moisturizing creams.
• Take antacids, such as ranitidine (Zantac), cimetidine (Tagamet), or omeprazole (Prilosec), to relieve acid reflux.
• Replenish vaginal moisture.
• Control pain with gentle exercise and acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Ongoing treatment

Progression of Sjögren's syndrome varies by individual. Most people with this disease have chronic dryness of the eyes and mouth that lasts throughout their lives. Your health professional may suggest home treatment to:

• Provide moisture to your eyes and mouth, by using artificial teardrops and saliva.
• Prevent eye damage, by protecting your eyes from wind, smoke, and other irritants.
• Prevent dental problems, by brushing and flossing your teeth.
• Prevent fatigue, by balancing rest and exercise.
• Relieve respiratory and skin problems, by humidifying your home and office and using moisturizing creams.
• Take antacids, such as ranitidine (Zantac), cimetidine (Tagamet), or omeprazole (Prilosec), to relieve acid reflux.
• Replenish vaginal moisture.
• Control pain with gentle exercise and acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

If your symptoms fail to improve or get worse even with home treatment, your health professional may want to prescribe medications or use other treatments.

• For dry eyes: Your health professional may prescribe:
  • Cevimeline (Evoxac) capsules or pilocarpine (Salagen) tablets to stimulate tear production. These medications are usually prescribed for dry mouth, but recent studies report that they may be effective in relieving dry eyes as well.^{4, 5}
  • Topical or oral antibiotics if you develop redness, swelling, and pain of the eyelids (blepharitis).²
• For dry mouth: Your health professional may:
  • Recommend that you use artificial saliva products, which coat the mouth, and/or place lemon drops under the tongue to stimulate saliva production.
  • Prescribe antifungal medications if a yeast infection such as thrush develops in your mouth. For more information, see the topic Thrush.
  • Recommend a fluoride rinse or brush-on topical fluoride varnish, such as Colgate Duraphat or Prevident Prophylaxis Paste, to help prevent cavities caused by rapid tooth decay.³
  • Prescribe a saliva stimulant, such as pilocarpine tablets or cevimeline capsules.
  • Recommend that you avoid antihistamine medications, which can make dry mouth worse.
• For vaginal dryness: Your health professional may prescribe the hormone estrogen in either topical creams or oral doses if nonprescription vaginal moisturizers and lubricants have not relieved dryness and painful intercourse.⁶

Treatment if the condition gets worse