Natural Cures For Clogged Salivary Glands

By Patricia | November 24, 2009

While most people think of saliva as unpleasant, it is in fact a very useful fluid secreted by the salivary glands. These glands secrete saliva into the mouth through openings called ducts. In the mouth, saliva helps in the process of chewing as well as digesting food easily. Remember that the process of digestion begins in the mouth with the saliva. Blockage of the salivary glands could be very serious and cause immense pain if left untreated. Salivary gland blockage could indicate a number of problems ranging from diabetes to cancer. In this article, we will discuss the main causes of salivary gland blockage, the symptoms and treatment measures.

Causes of blocked salivary glands

There are a number of reasons why salivary glands can get blocked. Some of the common reasons are stones, tumors, and infections.

Salivary duct stone: One of the main reasons for blocked salivary glands is stones. Stones are formed in the salivary glands when some of the chemicals that are present in the saliva crystallize. Stones usually form in the parotid salivary gland and submandibular salivary glands, obstructing the flow of saliva. When this happens, the ducts get swollen and become painful as there is nowhere for the saliva to go. Most people with stones find it difficult to eat as they experience pain and dryness during mealtimes. In most of these cases, the discomfort goes away during other times, only to recur the next time they eat. Usually, these stones go away on their own. However, if they persist and are not treated, they can lead to very painful abscesses.

Certain conditions and infections: While stones are the most common reasons for salivary gland obstruction, there could be other reasons too for the blocking of the salivary glands. The most common infections and conditions that cause the salivary gland to block are listed below.

  • Mumps: Mumps is condition that results in the swelling of the salivary glands. Mumps is caused by the mumps virus and usually affects only children. Nowadays, this condition is very rare due to vaccines administered to children to provide immunity against this disease. There is no treatment for mumps, only symptomatic treatment is provided. This usually involves painkillers to help relieve the pain and home remedies such as massages and salt water gargles. The symptoms usually go away on their own as this disease is self-limiting.
  • Sjorgen's syndrome: This syndrome is an autoimmune disease that kills the salivary and well as tear glands. This problem affects mostly women over the menopausal age, and there is no cure for this syndrome. Treatment is usually to help relieve the symptoms and not the problem itself.
  • Tumors: Another reason for salivary gland obstructions are tumors. Tumors both cancerous as well as benign ones can also cause salivary gland obstruction. These can display all the symptoms of salivary gland obstructions in some cases and in some others they can be totally painless. However, most malignant tumors are usually very painful and have a tendency to spread.

Symptoms of plugged salivary glands

Symptoms for blocked salivary glands are pretty straightforward and are usually easy to diagnose. Listed below are the common symptoms associated with this problem.

  • Dry mouth
  • Bad taste in the mouth
  • Pain in the neck or face region
  • Pain while opening the mouth
  • Swelling in the neck
  • Swelling in the face
  • Redness in the face or neck
  • Raised temperature

Home Remedies for Clogged salivary gland

Treatment of salivary gland obstruction depends on the cause of the obstruction. Below we discuss some of the options as to how to get rid of blocked salivary glands.

  • One of the simplest ways to remove stones in the salivary glands is by drinking a lot of water.
  • Lemon drops also increase the secretion of saliva, helping the stones dissolve without surgery. Usually, these drops are free of sugar.
  • Hot fomentation is another home remedy which helps relieve the pain and swelling associated with salivary gland blockage.
  • Salt water rinses help to keep the mouth wet, reducing dryness of the mouth, which is a common symptom of obstruction.
  • Practicing good oral hygiene like brushing helps to keep other infections at bay.
  • Simple procedures such as pushing the stone out can be done by a dentist to remove the stone.
  • Aspiration
  • Surgery, which is the last resort, may sometimes be needed to remove stones that cannot be treated by other methods.
  • Ultrasound waves are usually used to break the stones into tiny fragments. These broken fragments are usually passed through the ducts, without any difficulty. This method is not painful at all and is usually conducted within a short span of time.
  • A medical health care provider may also decide to use an endoscope in the treatment for blocked salivary gland. An endoscope is a tubular device, which has a small camera attached to one of its ends. The tube is pushed within the duct, so that the stone can be seen. At times, a tiny pair of grabbers are also attached to the endoscope, which can pull the stone out.

If you exhibit some of the symptoms listed above, it is better to get an examination done by a doctor. Although home remedies may help relieve your discomfort, they will not help unblock a blocked salivary gland. While salivary gland obstructions do occur, they are rare. They are most often seen in people who are in hospitals, especially in those whose immunity is very low and those who are severely dehydrated. Although poor oral hygiene is a reason for salivary gland blockages, it cannot be completely prevented with good oral hygiene.

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