Four key points about salivary glands

The salivary glands are a series of glands found in the mouth that help maintain lubrication of oral structures, as well as assist in the passage of food from the process of chewing to the process of swallowing.

Salivary glands: types of diseases

These glands can produce multiple pathologies that are sometimes associated with systemic pathologies, that is, processes that affect other parts of the body.

The main pathologies affecting the salivary glands are colic caused by stones, tumors, cysts or decreased saliva production.

Salivary glands: symptoms of diseases

The symptomatology is very diverse, but we have to sound the alarm and go to a specialist in Maxillofacial Surgery when we are faced with inflammation of the area, such as in front of the ear and under the jaw; lumps that persist over time or loss of mobility of the face.

We may also notice a bad taste in the mouth, reduced jaw movement when opening the mouth, continuous dry mouth, fever, facial or mouth pain that is accentuated when eating and redness in one part of the face or in the upper part of the neck.

Salivary glands: causes of infections

Salivary gland infections are usually caused by a stagnation of the salivary gland drainage ducts, leading to an overgrowth of germs in the stagnant saliva.

Other causes may be poor oral hygiene, low body water, smoking or some type of chronic disease.

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Salivary glands: treatment

In case of problems of this type, the first thing to do is to make an exhaustive diagnosis of the process and then an adequate treatment. In the case of an infection, the treatment will be antibiotics; if it is a tumor, the removal of the tumor; and if it is a stone, the removal of the affected gland.