Coexistence of Sjögren’s syndrome and sarcoidosis presenting with severe xerostomia

The coexistence of sarcoidosis and Sjgren's syndrome (SS) represents a rare but clinically relevant diagnostic challenge.Sarcoidosis, once considered an exclusion criterion for SS, may in fact coexist with it.The oral manifestations can serve as the first clue to systemic involvement.Awareness of this overlap is crucial for both internists and dental practitioners, as severe xerostomia or salivary gland swelling in patients with sarcoidosis may warrant evaluation for SS [1][2][3].A 65-year-old woman with a five-year history of pulmonary sarcoidosis presented to the Department of Periodontology at the University Dental Clinic in Cracow with progressive xerostomia, oral burning sensations, halitosis, and occasional difficulty swallowing (Figure A).She also reported recent worsening of eye dryness.Clinical examination revealed dry, atrophic oral mucosa and multiple cervical carious lesions (Challacombe Scale score 6; unstimulated salivary flow <0.05 mL/min, reference range: 0.3-0.4mL/min).