Your salivary glands sit in your mouth: three pairs of major glands and hundreds of small (minor) ones. They make saliva (spit) and release it through openings called ducts.
What saliva does
- moistens food so you can chew and swallow;
- helps you digest;
- cleans your mouth;
- carries antibodies that kill germs.
Symptoms of a problem
Salivary glands can become irritated and swollen, causing:
- a bad taste in your mouth;
- trouble opening your mouth;
- dry mouth;
- pain in your face or mouth;
- swelling of your face or neck.
Causes
- infections;
- blockage (obstruction);
- cancer;
- other disorders, such as mumps or Sjögren's syndrome.
Sources
Based on "Salivary Gland Disorders," MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine; a work of the United States government in the public domain.
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