By Masturah Balogun
Being grateful is a virtue to behold as humans for everything we are lucky to have. Even your health.
You have to be grateful for things as little as the saliva in our mouth.
You want to know why?
Follow me through...
Even though I know the numerous functions of saliva, I didn't really grasp the magnitude of the gratitude until I read the conversation about a patient below 👇.
She came on account of a toothache which, on examination, was seen to have been due to a badly broken tooth.
Then she began, 'I have removed several teeth'
Dentist: why is that?
She: my doctor said I have sjogren's syndrome.
Dentist: that means your mouth is always dry.
She: yes
Dentist: how do you cope with eating dry food?
She: I hardly take dry food. I don't eat bread at all. I usually take biscuit with a lot of water.
Dentist: how about your eyes? Are they usually dry too?
She: yes but my doctor gave me fluid that I usually apply. Something like artificial tears.
Dentist: then you should know about artificial saliva.
She: yes. I have used it before and it really improved my condition. It was sent to me from abroad but since it has finished, I have been unable to get in Nigeria. Perhaps you can help me get.
Once again be grateful for the saliva in your mouth.
Let me brief you about Sjogren's Syndrome:
1. It's an autoimmune disease. Autoimmune means body cells fighting against themselves.
2. That usually affect salivary and tear glands thereby destroying them.
3. This results to low or no salivary and tears production.
4. It usually co exists with other autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (which is also present in this patient).
Summary of her ordeal;
📍Dry mouth predisposes to dental cavities, erosion, bad breath as there's no saliva to wash away food debris and bacteria.
📍She won't be able to feel the taste of things in its entirety.
📍She can't talk well except she moist her mouth with water. In fact, she needs to be going around with water.
📍Amongst others
Despite this, she is still happy for her life.
So dear reading this post, be happy with your situation.
What did you learn?
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