Salivary Glands

Salivary glands are responsible for producing saliva, which keeps the mouth moist, aids in swallowing and digestion, and helps fight infection. The glands are divided into the major and minor glands. There are three pairs of major salivary glands: the parotid glands (side of face/jaw), the submandibular glands (just below the jaw), and the sublingual glands (in the floor of the mouth). There are also nearly 1,000 tiny minor salivary glands found throughout the head and neck area.

According to the American Cancer Society, about 80% of salivary gland tumors arise in the parotid glands, 10-15% in the submandibular glands, and 5-10% in the sublingual and minor salivary glands.

PAROTID GLAND

Parotid Gland with Facial Nerve The Parotid gland is located in a very crucial location on the side of the face. The facial nerve (the nerve that controls the movement of facial musculature thus giving us our facial expressions) pierces the gland from behind, just underneath the ear; it travels through the whole gland, thus dividing the gland into the superficial and deep lobes, and then enters the face and its muscles. Any surgery on this gland must consider this intricate anatomy and protect it.There are also several lymph nodes within the Parotid gland itself that may give rise to tumors such as lymphoma or cancers spreading from other areas. (i.e. skin of scalp).

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