quick (but possibly dumb) question re: onset of dry mouth

[LilliaT]

I understand that Sjogren's begins and progresses differently for different people, but I wanted to ask a question about how people first noticed the dry mouth.  I seem to be able to produce some saliva under my tongue and in the glands in the cheeks.  (In fact, if I happen to sleep face down, I sometimes have an embarrassing little puddle of drool on the pillow.)  But there seems to be little to no saliva production at all in the small glands inside the lips.  So the insides of my lips keep sticking to the fronts of my teeth.

I saw some saliva flow tests described online and tried, in a very amateurish and imprecise way, to perform some of them at home.  One of the tests involved pulling out the lower lip and looking at the inner surface for one minute.  Supposedly, you should see several little beads of saliva forming there.   I saw none, and the surface felt nearly dry and kind of sticky-ish the whole time.

So  I was wondering -- Is this how it normally starts?  I.e., the tiny glands in the lips dry up first, before the larger glands are fully affected?

[Tharrell]

You can also pull up your tongue towards the roof of your mouth and see if you form a puddle at the bottom below your tongue. It's also not always how much salica you make, but the quality of saliva. Is the same with tears. You can make tears but they evaporate to quickly due to meiobian gland disfunction. Those glands make the lubricant for your tears to stick around.
With saliva I don't know which gland or what ever is supposed to put the enzyme there to lubricate your mouth. So the saliva is all water, but you still feel like your throat is sticking together on the inside.
Does that make any sense?

[SjoGirl]

Dry mouth and eyes were my first symptoms. I had ulcers in my mouth along with blepharitis in my eyes. 

I was diagnosed with SjS by a rheumatologist where I live then went to Hopkins's Sjogren's Center for a second opinion. Hopkins tested my salivary glands (use a machine like an MRI it's a two-hour test). They said my glands produce saliva, but I can tell you they sure weren't putting out much.

I tried Plaquqnil twice and it helped with the dryness, but I could not tolerate the side effects. Last time I took it was last summer. My dryness, both eyes and mouth, have gotten progressively worse. I'm now trying Evoxac for the mouth and it does help very much with saliva flow, but again, I have issues with side effects and I'm only taking 1/3 of the daily dose.

Another well-known test is to try to eat several saltines without drinking any water. Supposedly people with SjS cannot accomplish this (though keep water nearby so you don't choke).

[Wal]

The dryness in my mouth seems to affect different parts of my mouth at different times. Sometimes behind my lips are dry, sometimes tongue and throat. Lately it's even been more subtlety dry behind my lips and more dry in my throat with a vague but still noticeable dryness in rest of mouth. I used to have to wear Chapstick around the clock. Some days I do, some i don't. My dryness waxes and wanes for eyes nose and mouth. They all started together. My lips and tongue don't stick to my gums or teeth except at night when dryness gets much worse...im much better off than many hear but still nervous about the future as I don't have a diagnosis. I had an ENT do a saliva level test in his office then I do my own at home. The levels go up and down. I try to do it 2hrs after eating.