Mild dehydration from exercise or time spent in the hot summer sun can often be cured by drinking water. But, symptoms like dry mouth and dry eyes aren’t always caused by a simple lack of water. Some people have these symptoms due to a disorder of the immune system called Sjögren’s disease. When symptoms of dryness are caused by a chronic condition, managing them isn’t always as easy as grabbing a drink.

Sjögren’s disease commonly causes dry mouth and dry eyes, due to the dysfunction of moisture-producing glands. This dryness can be uncomfortable and, without proper management, can lead to complications like tooth decay and vision problems. Staying hydrated can help lessen the discomfort of chronic dryness and reduce the risk of further health issues.

Here, we’ll take a look at eight tips to stay hydrated if you’re living with Sjögren’s, including how managing chronic dryness can help improve your quality of life.

Why Sjögren’s Causes Chronic Dryness

Sjögren’s disease — previously called Sjögren’s syndrome — is an autoimmune disorder that most often affects the eyes and mouth. Normally, your immune system works to defend your body against germs and other invaders that mean to harm you. Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system mistakenly targets healthy cells of the body, thinking they’re trying to hurt you.

In Sjögren’s, the immune system attacks the moisture-producing glands of the body, most commonly in the eyes and mouth. This results in inflammation that damages the glands and keeps them from working properly. Lack of tears and saliva then lead to chronic (ongoing) dryness in the eyes and mouth.

The Importance of Hydration With Sjögren’s

Staying well hydrated is essential when living with a condition that causes dryness. The chronic dryness experienced by those with Sjögren’s can cause uncomfortable symptoms, such as eyes that feel gritty or burn and dry mouth that makes it hard to talk or eat. Staying hydrated can help to ease this discomfort, which is why treatment for Sjögren’s often focuses on restoring moisture where needed.

Not only can staying hydrated help to ease dry mouth and other bothersome symptoms, but it can help to reduce your risk of developing other issues. Lack of saliva makes you more prone to tooth decay, mouth sores, and oral infections like thrush. Meanwhile, constantly dry eyes can lead to vision problems.

Saliva is also the starting point for digestion, breaking down the food you eat and helping you swallow easily. Staying hydrated may also be helpful for reducing other Sjögren’s symptoms like dry skin, joint pain, dry cough, vaginal dryness, and fatigue.

How To Stay Hydrated With Sjögren’s

Treatment of Sjögren’s disease focuses on managing dryness symptoms. Whether you have dry mouth, dry eyes, or other common symptoms, doing your best to stay hydrated is essential when living with the condition.

Here are eight tips to help you stay hydrated with Sjögren’s.

1. Sip Water Throughout the Day

One way to provide moisture to your mouth is to drink water. To make sure that your mouth stays moist and hydrated, try drinking small sips of water frequently throughout the day. Taking sips often can help you increase your water intake while providing much-needed moisture to the mouth on a regular basis.

To make this as easy as possible, try bringing a water bottle with you wherever you go. You can also let small pieces of ice melt in your mouth if you’re looking for a way to cool down.

Take care to stick to water rather than other beverages though. Carbonated drinks, such as soda or seltzer water, can introduce acidity to the mouth, which can be harmful to teeth.

2. Use Sugar-Free Lozenges or Gum

When you’re not sipping water, try sucking on a sugar-free candy or chewing some gum. Lozenges and sugar-free gum can help stimulate saliva flow. As for flavors, the best choices to increase saliva production are citrus, cinnamon, or mint.

It’s important to remember to choose sugar-free versions since Sjögren’s increases your risk of tooth decay. Sucking candies specifically made for people living with diabetes can be a good choice. Candy, gum, or lozenges that contain xylitol may be helpful for preventing tooth decay.

3. Limit Certain Foods and Drinks

Certain foods and drinks can have drying effects on the body. Two such ingredients are caffeine — a main component of coffee, teas, and sodas — and alcohol. If you’re living with Sjögren’s, it’s important to avoid or limit these beverages so as not to make dryness worse.

Salty and spicy foods, meanwhile, not only have drying qualities but can also lead to pain and discomfort in a dry mouth, so it’s best to avoid them. Since Sjögren’s is an autoimmune disease, it’s also best to avoid eating foods that can cause inflammation like garlic, onions, and sugar.

4. Eat Hydrating Foods

Drinking more water isn’t the only way to get water into your body. Around 20 percent of your daily water intake comes from food. Foods with high-water content — particularly those with 80 percent or more water content — can help to keep you hydrated.

Many fresh fruits and vegetables are great sources of water. Veggies with the highest water content include:

• Cucumbers
• Celery
• Lettuce
• Radishes
• Summer squashes
• Bell peppers
• Asparagus

As for fruits, tomatoes, strawberries, and watermelons are all more than 90 percent water. You can also try making soup for dinner — a chicken or vegetable broth is about 92 percent water.

5. Try Moisturizing Sprays or Rinses

To keep the mouth moist and lubricated, you can try artificial saliva or saliva substitutes. These usually contain:

• A thickening agent
• Fluoride and minerals like calcium and phosphate to help protect teeth
• Preservatives to keep it from going bad
• Flavoring

There are a variety of products available including sprays, solutions, gels, and lozenges.

Dry mouth rinses, such as SalivaMax, Caphasol, and Aquoral, can also help to keep the mouth moist and clean. If you’d rather make your own, mix 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of baking soda into 1 liter of water.

6. Use a Humidifier

Breathing in humid air — air with a high water content — can also help lessen symptoms of dryness. Dry air and other environmental factors like smoke, dust, and air blown from fans or air conditioners can make dry eye symptoms worse. Dry air is often a problem in the winter when you breathe cold, dry air outside then dry, heated air inside.

A humidifier can restore water to the air you breathe, which can help reduce dryness symptoms in the eyes, nose, and sinuses. Using a humidifier at night may also help those who have trouble sleeping get a better night’s rest.

The ideal humidity for someone with Sjögren’s is 55 percent to 60 percent. You can use a humidifier to check the humidity level in your space and modify it as needed.

If you do use a humidifier, make sure to follow the cleaning and maintenance instructions. A dirty humidifier can spread mold, bacteria, and other irritants into the air, which may make dryness symptoms worse or even trigger respiratory issues.

7. Try ‘Oil Pulling’

According to the Sjögren’s Foundation, oils can also be helpful for lubricating a dry mouth. Swishing olive or coconut oil around the mouth — a technique called “oil pulling” — can help to relieve discomfort and rehydrate the tissues of the mouth. To do an “oil pull,” swish a small amount of oil around the mouth for a few minutes and then spit it out.

Applying two to three drops of vitamin E oil around the mouth may also help soothe symptoms of dryness. However, if your mouth looks red or feels irritated, this can point to an oral infection like thrush, which requires medication.

8. Talk to Your Doctor About Medications

Lifestyle remedies and over-the-counter treatments to promote hydration can be helpful, but medication may also be needed. Ask your rheumatologist about medications that can stimulate salivary glands to help combat dry mouth.

Your healthcare provider may prescribe you pilocarpine (Salagen) or cevimeline (Evoxac). These medications can sometimes cause side effects such as excessive sweating, upset stomach, vomiting, stuffy nose, and impaired night vision. To reduce your risk of side effects, your doctor may recommend you slowly build up your dose rather than start with a full dose right away. These medications are taken by mouth in pill form.

Some medications can also cause dry mouth as a side effect. Ask your doctor for their medical advice on which medications you should avoid. Drugs that commonly cause dry mouth include antidepressants, antihistamines, decongestants, and muscle relaxants. Work with your doctor or dentist to manage your dry mouth and medications.

See your dentist at least twice a year to maintain good oral health and prevent complications of dry mouth like tooth decay. You can reduce your risk of future dental issues by practicing good oral hygiene. Brush teeth every morning and night as well as after meals, and floss each day.

Join the Conversation

On MySjögrensTeam, people share their experiences with Sjögren’s, get advice, and find support from others who understand.

How do you keep yourself hydrated while living with Sjögren’s? Let others know in the comments below.