General Information

There are 3 major salivary glands, they produce saliva which keeps the mouth and   throat moist between meals and helps with swallowing and digestion of food. Saliva   also supplies the minerals needed to maintain healthy teeth


The parotid glands are pyramid shaped, the base is the superficial lobe which is   horseshoe shaped and lies around the ear, the apex is the deep lobe which lies   between the jaw bone (mandible) and the inside of the throat. The parotid glands are   the most common site for malignant tumours


The facial nerve, which controls the movements of the muscles of the face, passes   between the superficial and deep lobes. It may be damaged by parotid cancer or   sometimes during a difficult parotid operation. This results in weakness of the facial   muscles

     The submandibular (or submaxillary) glands lie just below the angle of the jaw bones


    The sublingual glands lie under the mid portion of the tongue


    The minor salivary glands are scattered throughout the lining of the mouth, throat,       trachea and esophagus. They provide lubrication.