The salivary glands are one of the paired glands, located in the mouth and responsible for the production and secretion of saliva.
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Salivary gland pairs
We have the following salivary gland pairs:
- two parotid (these are the largest of all salivary glands),
- two submandibular (located in the jaw area),
- two sublingual (located under the tongue).
Which gives us a total of six pairs of these organs. The saliva produced by the salivary glands has its outlet via the ducts. The salivary glands function properly when healthy and functional, but occasionally they can become diseased. Such a condition should not be underestimated and it is essential to see a doctor.
Salivary gland diseases: types, causes, symptoms and treatment
Diseases usually affect the parotid glands, the largest salivary glands in the body. Sometimes they can also involve the other four pairs of salivary glands. The first worrying symptoms include pain on touch, a swollen feeling (e.g. in the cheek area, near the ear), tightening of the skin, swelling, pain and tingling sensations when eating or an elevated temperature. In any of these cases, you should contact your doctor, if only for a check-up. Do not wait for the symptoms to go away on their own, as they are indicative of a slowly developing infection.
Among the known salivary gland diseases are:
Mumps, i.e. salivary gland inflammation, is a very well-known and common condition in preschool or school-aged children. The disease is transmitted by the droplet route. Initially the swelling is visible on one side of the face, near the ear, after which it spreads to the other half of the face and then down to the neck.
Salivary gland diseases, photo: pantherstock
The child experiences pain when eating and may also have headaches, lack of appetite and an elevated temperature. Treatment is related to alleviating the symptoms accompanying the illness (staying warm, resting, taking plenty of fluids and soft foods). In the case of a high temperature, antipyretics are used. Remember to vaccinate your child against mumps.
Bacterial salivary gland inflammation mainly affects the parotid glands. It can be caused by medication and other systemic diseases. The visible symptom is swelling that increases in size, pain on eating, skin tension and a sub-febrile state. The swelling is particularly painful when touched.
Sjögren's syndrome, mainly affects women. It is a non-inflammatory salivary gland disease of autoimmune origin. The disease affects many systems and organs and the most common symptoms include: swollen salivary glands (mainly parotid), severe dryness of the mucous membranes throughout the mouth, keratitis and many others.
Many more inflammatory and non-inflammatory diseases are known. Tumours of the salivary glands are also known. A visit to the doctor is necessary if any worrying symptoms appear.
