ETIOLOGY
Systemic diseases. Box 110-12 presents medical conditions
that may cause dry mouth. An estimated 4 million
people in the United States have Sjögren syndrome (SS),
an autoimmune disease commonly associated with hyposalivation.
SS is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized
by lymphocytic infiltration of the salivary and
lacrimal glands, resulting in xerostomia and dry eyes.13
Approximately 90 percent of those with SS are women,
and patients often experience associated symptoms such
as fatigue and joint pain.