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The Science of Saliva

Whether it’s salmon sizzling on the grill or pizza fresh from the oven, you probably have a favorite food that makes your mouth water. But what if your mouth couldn’t water—couldn’t make enough saliva? When salivary glands stop working and the mouth becomes dry, either from disease or as a side effect of medical treatment, the once-routine act of eating can become a major challenge. To help such people, researchers are now trying to engineer replacement salivary glands...

When grown on a scaffold of biocompatible polymers infused with factors to encourage development, these cells cluster into spherical structures similar to those seen in salivary glands. And they don’t just look…

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Articles of Interest

Doctors May Have Found Secretive New Organs in the Center of Your Head

They appear to be a fourth pair of large salivary glands, tucked into the space where the nasal cavity meets the throat.

Long-term functional regeneration of radiation-damaged salivary glands through delivery of a neurogenic hydrogel

Salivary gland acinar cells are severely depleted after radiotherapy for head and neck cancer, leading to loss of saliva and extensive oro-digestive complications. With no regenerative therapies available, organ dysfunction is irreversible.

My Cold Turned Out to Be Giant Salivary Stones

When I first noticed my swollen gland two days before New Year’s Eve in December 2016, I was understandably surprised. My left gland had been swelling every few months for about two years at that point. It usually lasted a few days to a week and was never painful. This time, though, the lump showed no sign of receding. Prior to going to the urgent care center, I went to the doctor twice looking for a reason as to why I was in so much pain, and both times I was told I had a cold and that it would pass. I’d had plenty of colds in my life and knew that this was something different, but no one seemed to believe me.

Physiology, Pathology and Regeneration of Salivary Glands

Salivary glands are essential structures in the oral cavity. A variety of diseases, such as cancer, autoimmune diseases, infections and physical traumas, can alter the functionality of these glands, greatly impacting the quality of life of patients. To date, no definitive therapeutic approach can compensate the impairment of salivary glands, and treatment are purely symptomatic..

Restoring the Flow of Precious Saliva

It’s easy to take our saliva for granted. Most people have so much of it that they think nothing of spitting it out into a trash can when they finish chewing a stick of gum. Perhaps only people who have lived without it truly understand the great gift that is a perpetually moist mouth.

Saliva & Salivary Gland Disorders

Salivary glands are located in the mouth. There are three pairs of large salivary glands. Parotid glands are found in front of and just below each ear. Submandibular glands are below the jaw. Sublingual glands are under the tongue. There are also hundreds of smaller glands.

Scientists May Have Identified a Previously Unknown Spit-Producing Organ in Our Heads

Uncovering the existence of the glands will help oncologists protect them from radiation, improving the quality of life for cancer patients.

Scientists Question Discovery of New Human Salivary Gland

A widely publicized paper has drawn scrutiny from physicians and anatomists about the authors’ claims regarding so-called tubarial glands.

The Mouth’s Guard

As a germ killer itself, saliva has few rivals. Its anti-clumping properties, keep bacteria from forming colonies on the teeth and gums. And it contains histatins, which not only kill bacteria but have been shown to speed wound closure independent of antibacterial action.

The Salivary Glands

The salivary glands are exocrine glands that are part of the digestive system and include three major paired glands: the parotid, the submandibular, and the sublingual glands. There are also many smaller minor glands in the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx.

Tiny Salivary Glands Big Problems How We Treat These Painful Disorders

Most of the time, people don’t notice their salivary glands. They are located in the mouth and throat, and they produce saliva. We start to notice these glands if a stone or tumor develops and blocks the flow of saliva. When that happens, they can become swollen and painful and can interfere with hydration, digestion and dental hygiene.

Why do we make saliva?

The ingredients in saliva are complicated, but that 1% is important. Saliva can help protect us against cavities (holes in the teeth) by washing our teeth with special salts. And because it’s slippery, saliva stops the bugs that create holes from sticking to our teeth. We have hundreds of little salivary glands dotted all around our lips and cheeks. We also have six big glands (made of hundreds of little glands) in our mouth that produce most of our saliva; four are under our tongue and one on each side of our cheeks.