Salivary Gland Disorders

The salivary glands create saliva to moisten your mouth, assist digestion, and protect your teeth from decay. There are three major pairs of salivary glands: paratoid, submandibular, and sublingual. The paratoid glands are located close to the ears in the upper area of the cheek. They release saliva near the upper molars in the back of the mouth. The submandibular glands are found in the floor of the mouth and provide saliva behind the front teeth. Sublingual glands are beneath the tongue. There are also nearly 1,000 tiny glands delivering saliva throughout the mouth and throat.

Salivary glands, just like the rest of the body, are subject to infection. Some of the most common salivary-gland disorders include:

Sialolithiasis (salivary-gland stones): Stones inside the gland can block the gland’s duct, causing pain, swelling, and a reduction of saliva followed by the infection sialadenitis.

Sialadenitis (bacterial infection): A painful infection that is very common amongst elderly patients with salivary-gland stones.

Viral infections: Bodily viral infections often settle in the salivary glands, causing facial swelling, pain, and difficulty eating. The most common example is mumps. Similar symptoms can be caused by other viral illnesses, including flu, parainfluenza, Coxsackie viruses, echovirus, and cytomegalovirus.

Other salivary gland disorders include benign tumors, malignant tumors, and Sjögren’s syndrome.

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