| le background on the Salivary Glands… The tongue, cheeks, and palate (the hard and soft areas at the roof of the mouth) contain many glands that produce saliva. In saliva there are enzymes, or catalysts, that begin the breakdown (digestion) of food while it is still in the mouth. The glands are called salivary glands because of their function. There are three big pairs of salivary glands in addition to many smaller ones. The parotid glands, submandibular glands and sublingual glands are the large, paired salivary glands. The parotids are located inside the cheeks, one below each ear. The submandibular glands are located on the floor of the mouth, with one on the inner side of each part of the lower jaw, or mandible. The sublingual glands are also in the floor of the mouth, but they are under the tongue. Ref: http://www.ehendrick.org/healthy/002167.htm |
 |
||||||
| MAJOR FEATURES OF SALIVARY GLANDS Ref: http://www.bioscience.org/lecture/tabibza/1.htm |
|||||||
| Gland | Feature | Duct | Glands | Fat | Lymphoid Tissue |
Sebaceous Glands | Nerve |
| Parotid | Largest major salivary gland | Stensen’s duct | Serous | Yes | Yes | Yes | Facial Nerve |
| Sub-mandibular gland | Second largest major salivary gland | Wharton’s duct | Mucous-Serous | Yes | None | None | None |
| Sub- lingual gland |
Smallest of major salivary glands | Bartholin’s duct, Rivinus ducts | Mucous-Serous | Yes | None | None | None |
| Small salivary glands | Scattered throughout the tongue, palate and lip | Small | Mucous except for those in tongue | Yes (Tongue) |
None | None | None |
