What to do with inflammation of the salivary glands in adults and children

What are salivary glands?

Humans have large and small salivary glands that produce secretions. The large salivary glands are paired, located on both sides, and include the parotid, sublingual, and submandibular. Small glands are located in the mucous membrane of the oral cavity, their size is approximately the size of a mustard seed.

Why salivary glands can become inflamed

Inflammation of the small salivary glands, as a rule, occurs on the inner surface of the lips in the frontal area. This can happen as a result of trauma, if a person hit or bit the lip and thereby blocked the duct of the salivary gland. Then the secret that is produced has nowhere to go, and the gland becomes inflamed and swollen. In general, there are two types of inflammation of the salivary glands: infectious (when bacteria or viruses get inside) and calcification (when a stone forms in the salivary gland or duct). In the second case, it is advisable for the patient to check whether there are stones in other organs.

Symptoms of salivary gland inflammation

If we are talking about the minor salivary gland, a person feels something like a pea-sized ball inside the oral cavity under the mucous membrane, which can redden, cause discomfort, become larger or smaller, but does not last for a long time (2-3 weeks). In the case of large salivary glands, the situation is different, because they are large anatomical formations. Then the inflammation develops very rapidly, the swelling grows in the eyes (because saliva continues to be produced) and can reach the size of an apple. If this is left untreated, an abscess or phlegmon may even form – conditions that directly threaten life, so you should definitely not postpone a visit to the doctor.

How to distinguish lymph node inflammation from salivary gland inflammation?

It is best to entrust the diagnosis to a qualified doctor who knows how to help the patient in any case. Moreover, infectious sialoadenitis or a salivary gland tumor can be accompanied by inflammation of nearby lymph nodes. Lymphadenitis has a number of characteristic symptoms: swelling, suppuration, redness, increased temperature in the area of inflammation, and an increase in the size of the affected node.

Can inflammation of the salivary gland be removed at home?

Inflammation of the salivary gland cannot be removed independently at home, this is done by a maxillofacial surgeon in the clinic. It is necessary to conduct research and find out whether the cause of sialoadenitis is an infection or a stone. If it is calcification inflammation, it is treated exclusively by surgery, because the stone cannot come out by itself. With infectious inflammation, conservative treatment is possible, but if it does not give an effect, it is still desirable to remove the entire gland.

Is it possible to clean the salivary gland yourself?

The last thing you should do if you find yourself with sialoadenitis is to try to cleanse the gland at home. You will only damage the mucosa and cause even more swelling, not to mention the risk of introducing an additional infection, which will lead to the development of phlegmon or an abscess.

What to do if you or your child notices a lump near the ear?

A lump near the ear or under the jaw, which does not cause much discomfort, is most likely not sialoadenitis, but a neoplasm of the large salivary gland: Wharton’s tumor, pleomorphic adenoma or cyst. This is not an urgent problem, like swelling due to inflammation, but it should be addressed, and preferably quickly. See an oral and maxillofacial surgeon in a clinic or pediatric dentistry for operative treatment. The sooner neoplasms are removed, the easier it is to do and the smaller the chance of missing the cancer.

How to understand that you need to see a doctor?

Any changes in the oral cavity that do not go away on their own within a week are a reason to visit a doctor. Consult an maxillofacial surgeon in the following cases:

you feel a ball in the mucous membrane of the mouth, which changes in size, but does not disappear;
sharply swollen cheek or submaxillary area;
a bump appeared under the jaw or behind the ear.

Do not engage in self-medication and do not prescribe tests yourself. The same ultrasound is not informative in the case of a neoplasm of the salivary gland, because it will not help in any way to prepare for surgery and determine the best approach. If we need a CT or other study to determine the diagnosis and treatment strategy, we will order it during the consultation.

How inflammation and tumors of the salivary glands are treated

Inflammation and tumors of the salivary glands are treated surgically. Operations are performed under general anesthesia. If the cause of inflammation is a stone in the salivary gland or its duct (it does not even have to completely block the outlet), it is removed, sometimes together with the gland itself. A stone in the duct is removed in about 15 minutes, but if it lies deep, or the entire gland is filled with stones and must be removed completely, it will take 1-1.5 hours.

If we are talking about infectious inflammation, we first try to remove it with medicines. But this does not always help, and then it is better to remove the gland and send it for a histological examination: perhaps it is actually a cyst. Since there are many salivary glands in the oral cavity, the function as a whole will not be affected.

Rehabilitation depends on how the gland was removed. Although we are able to work with laser technology and coagulators, in this case the classic scalpel and tweezers are the optimal tools. After all, an ordinary cut on the mucous membrane heals faster and better than a burn from a laser, and the patient will have a minimum of unpleasant sensations in the postoperative period.