Library · Anatomy
Salivary gland
Make it clearer
Salivary glands are exocrine glands, meaning they release what they make outward through a duct rather than into the bloodstream. What they make, modify, and secrete is saliva, and they release it into the oral cavity, the mouth.
They are not all alike, nor the same size. The major ones are the parotid, which is the largest of them; the submandibular; and the sublingual. The minor ones line the mucosa of the upper aerodigestive tract and practically the entire mouth.
Saliva does more than you might think. It makes chewing easier, along with swallowing, which doctors call deglutition, and speech. It also takes part in digestion: saliva does not just moisten your food, it starts breaking it down, because these glands secrete lipases, which break down triglycerides, the fats, and amylases, which break down starches. And it protects against infection, leaving the mouth less exposed than it would be without saliva.
In brief
Salivary glands are exocrine glands that produce, modify, and secrete saliva into the oral cavity.
They are divided into major glands, the parotid, the submandibular, and the sublingual, and minor glands, which line the mucosa of the upper aerodigestive tract and nearly the entire mouth; the parotid is the largest of the three.
Through saliva they aid chewing, swallowing, and speech, help digest triglycerides and starches by secreting lipases and amylases, and protect against infection.
Saliva does not just moisten your food, it already starts breaking it down.
Sources (1)
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, StatPearls PublishingAnatomy, Head and Neck, Salivary Glands, StatPearlsPublished
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
Updated