The Parotid Gland And Its Pathologies

First of all, you are probably wondering what is the parotid gland? The parotid gland is a bulky organ located on both sides of the face that, together with two other lower and two sublingual maxillary glands, is part of the salivary glands. Its main function is to produce serous secretions, while submandibular and sublingual secretions, have to emit a mixed seromucous secretion and release the mucus, respectively. From there, when they are affected it can be for different reasons.

The main function of these glands is the production of saliva, essential for the maintenance of oral health. The parotid produces a serous secretion that drains into the oral cavity through the duct at the level of the second upper molar, the submandibular generates a seromucous secretion that exits through the Wharton duct towards the floor of the mouth, while the gland Sublingual leads to a secretion that reaches the anterior region of the floor of the mouth through the Bartholin duct. The minor salivary glands secrete mucus. Basal saliva secretion originates mainly in the submandibular glands, while secretion related to intake takes place to a greater extent in the parotid.

Most common issues

Among the most typical diseases that affect the parotid gland are the following:

• Mumps or mumps: This is a viral infection that is becoming less and less, given that, today, the triple viral vaccine cancels the virus responsible. This inflammatory process consists of an affectation of both glands and adjacent tissues.
• Bacterial infections: Many times, they can be caused by poor oral hygiene, although obstruction of one or both salivary ducts is also usually the main cause. When this occurs, it is often due to the internal crystallization of some components of the saliva.
• Tumors: They can be both benign and malignant. In these cases, they usually affect one of the two glands, causing the obstruction of the salivary duct.
• Inflammations due to other diseases: Pathologies such as rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes or sarcoidosis, as well as diseases of the immune system, may be affected.

Main symptoms

Among the most common symptoms presented by the diseases mentioned above, there is a notable inflammation that arises in the lower part of the ears. It is also common to feel pain in the ears, both constantly and when chewing. Other symptoms that may occur are dryness and bad taste in the mouth, fever, difficulty swallowing, loss of appetite, facial pain and even difficulty opening the mouth. If some of the aforementioned symptoms occur, do not hesitate to contact us, especially if there is inflammation of the parotid gland. In this case, it requires a differential diagnosis to evaluate the case and, if applicable, perform a treatment.