How can dental practitioners and patients combat the greater susceptibility of teeth to staining immediately after bleaching? A new study tested the effectiveness of various surface treatments and ... What are salivary glands?

Understanding the Context

Your salivary glands are small organs in your mouth that make saliva (spit). The saliva that the glands make keeps your mouth and throat moist. It also helps you swallow and digest food. Your salivary glands make saliva, which is important to keep your mouth moist, help with swallowing, protect your teeth against bacteria, and aid in food digestion.

Key Insights

What is it? The salivary glands make saliva and release it into the mouth. There are three pairs of relatively large, major salivary glands: Parotid glands. Located in the upper part of each cheek, close to the ear. Humans have three paired major salivary glands (parotid, submandibular, and sublingual), as well as hundreds of minor salivary glands.

Final Thoughts

[1] Salivary glands can be classified as serous, mucous, or seromucous (mixed). Learn about the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of damaged salivary glands, which produce too little saliva and can affect taste, chewing, and swallowing. The salivary glands produce saliva and secrete it into the mouth. Saliva lubricates surfaces in the mouth to help a person chew and swallow their food. Saliva helps with swallowing and chewing. It can also help prevent infections from developing in your mouth or throat.

There are two types of salivary glands: The major salivary glands are the largest and most important salivary glands. They produce most of the saliva in your mouth.