Editing Sjögren's disease (section)

==== Dental care ====
[[Preventive healthcare|Preventive]] [[dentistry|dental]] treatment is also necessary (and often overlooked by the patient), as the lack of saliva associated with xerostomia creates an ideal environment for the [[Cell growth|proliferation]] of bacteria that cause [[dental caries|cavities]].<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Xin | first1 = W | last2 = Leung | first2 = KC | last3 = Lo | first3 = EC | last4 = Mok | first4 = MY | last5 = Leung | first5 = MH | year = 2016| title = A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of fluoride varnish in preventing dental caries of Sjögren's disease patients | journal = BMC Oral Health | volume = 16 | issue = 1| page = 102 | doi = 10.1186/s12903-016-0296-7 | pmc = 5034648 | pmid = 27664129 | doi-access = free }}</ref> Treatments include at-home [[topical]] [[Fluoride therapy|fluoride application]] to strengthen tooth enamel and frequent teeth cleanings by a dental hygienist. Existing cavities must also be treated, as cavities that extend into the tooth cannot be effectively treated by teeth cleaning alone, and are at a high risk of spreading into the [[Pulp (tooth)|pulp of the tooth]], leading to the loss of vitality and need for extraction or [[root canal]] therapy. This treatment regimen is the same as for all xerostomia patients, such as for those undergoing head and neck radiation therapy, which often damages the salivary glands; these glands are more susceptible to radiation than other body tissues.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}