Saliva, or "spit," is produced by the salivary glands. Over the course of a day, the average person's salivary glands produce approximately one and a half liters of saliva. Saliva is 99 percent water, but also contains important minerals, enzymes and antibodies. Saliva makes it easier to chew, swallow, and talk. Saliva is also necessary for dental health: harmful substances such as sugar and bacteria are... Read more >
Causes of dry mouth (xerostomia) vary. Often, dry mouth results from blockage of or damage to the major salivary glands: the sublingual, submandibular, and parotid glands. Problems with the minor salivary glands can also cause xerostomia.Medication and Dry Mouth Dry mouth is not a natural consequence of aging. Often the causes of dry mouth can be traced to medication. Over 1,800 medications list dry mouth as a... Read more >
Treatment of dry mouth, or xerostomia, begins by identifying which of the many possible causes of dry mouth is the root cause of the problem. Some causes of salivary gland inactivity can be cured, while others require long-term treatments. Medication Changes Many medications are causes of dry mouth. If medication is the cause, lowering the dosage can often eliminate xerostomia. If this fails to improve salivary... Read more >
Sjogren's syndrome is an autoimmune disorder that affects the salivary glands and other moisture-producing glands in the body. The body's immune system mistakes moisture-producing glands for a threat and attacks them. As the salivary glands and tear ducts are affected, dry mouth and eyes result. Sjogren's syndrome affects approximately four million Americans. Ninety percent of cases are women, usually in... Read more >
Salivary gland tumors are rare: as few as 3 out of 100,000 people develop salivary gland tumors per year. Men are more likely to develop salivary gland tumors than women, and the peak incidence occurs between thirty and fifty years of age. Eighty percent of all salivary growth tumors are benign.Benign Tumors of the Parotid Gland The majority of salivary gland tumors occur in the parotid glands, the pair of... Read more >
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