ear, nose, and throat disorders
Salivary Gland Disorders
Introduction
Salivary glands produce saliva, which moistens food to make it easy to swallow and contains enzymes (proteins) to help break down food so it is easier to digest. Salivary glands can malfunction, become infected, or blocked by stones that form in their ducts. Malfunctioning salivary glands produce less saliva, which causes dry mouth and tooth decay. Infected or blocked salivary glands cause pain. Saliva flow can be measured, or doctors may biopsy salivary gland tissue. Sometimes blockages in the ducts that lead from the salivary glands can be removed, but some people need to use saliva substitutes. (See also Dry Mouth .) There are three major pairs of salivary glands in the mouth: Theparotid glands,the largest pair of salivary glands, lie just behind the angle of the jaw, below and in front of the ears. Thesublingual glandslie under the side of the tongue. Thesubmandibular glandslie under the side of the jaw. In addition to these major glands, many tiny salivary glands are distributed throughout the mouth. All of the glands produce saliva, which aids in breaking down food as part of the digestive process. Several types of disorders affect the salivary glands: Salivary gland malfunction Salivary gland stones Salivary gland infection Salivary gland swelling 