Not Just Annoying

I've been struggling a lot with dry eyes and dry mouth.

I use polygel eye gel for my eyes - an optometrist put me on to it ages ago.  It doesn't fix it, but it does make it bearable, and I've never found anything any better.

For my mouth, I had been chewing my way through endless sugar-free gum, because I'd read somewhere that stimulates saliva production.  It helped a little, but not all that much.

Although my mouth was getting sore a lot of the time, I treated this just as a nuisance, rather than something serious.

Then I read a post about dry mouth by Dr Donald Thomas. (The rheumatologist who wrote The Lupus Encyclopaedia.)  Dry mouth can cause all kinds of dental problems, including loss of teeth. It's actually a serious problem.

I'm kind of attached to my teeth (well not the wisdom teeth, we parted company on unfriendly terms a while ago.) So, I've started taking my mouth a little more seriously.

I bought a moisturising toothpaste and mouth wash.  I was a bit concerned before I used them, because I've been using "sensitive" toothpaste for years because my teeth hurt. It was with great pleasure I discovered the moisturising toothpaste also helped with the pain in my teeth.

On Monday, I have my rheumatologist appointment.  On top of my list now is my dry mouth and dry eye issues.