What are the causes of blockage of the salivary glands?
What do you know about the blockage of the salivary glands? What are the most common causes of it? In this article we will talk about the most important information about the blockage of the salivary glands.
Saliva is very important in the mouth, as its absence may hinder digestion, increase tooth decay and increase dry mouth.
The salivary glands on the side of the cheeks, under the tongue and the floor of the mouth, produce saliva continuously, sometimes blockages in these glands and for several reasons we will mention later.
The causes that lead to obstruction of the salivary glands
There are many causes that lead to a blockage of the salivary glands, we will mention here some of them:
1. Accumulations of calcium and other minerals
Sometimes one or all of the salivary glands swell and swell due to the accumulation of calcium and other deposits, which prevents the flow of saliva and the blockage of the salivary glands.
2. Bacterial inflammation
The salivary glands may become obstructed and thus stop the flow of saliva if exposed to a bacterial attack, which may result in swelling in the blocked gland and a feeling of pain.
3. Viral inflammation
Some viruses may cause diseases that result in a blockage in the salivary glands such as colds and mumps disease, or as Abu Kaab calls it. This blockage often occurs in the salivary glands on the cheeks, causing them to swell and accompanied by pain.
4. Other reasons, the most important of which are:
AIDS: AIDS can cause a blockage in the salivary glands.
Mucus: Mucus buildup may lead to blockage of the salivary glands.
Abnormal cell growth: whether this growth is caused by cancerous or benign cells that may lead to a blockage in the salivary glands.
Diagnosis of obstruction of the salivary glands
If you feel dry mouth, swollen or swollen area of these glands, you should see a doctor immediately.
The doctor will press the pain site to check if there is any blockage of these glands.
In the event that the doctor is unable to detect the blockage with his hand, he shall resort to requesting an X-ray or ultrasound. Through these images, he can review the entire area of the glands and salivary ducts and reveal whether there is a blockage in them.
Treatment of salivary gland blockage
Your doctor will usually prescribe simple treatments to increase your saliva flow, such as:
Increased saliva flow by eating citrus fruits or acidic sweets.
Increase fluid intake to maintain oral moisture.
Using pain relievers.
If the patient uses medications that increase dry mouth, he should either stop them or replace them if possible.
If the blockage in the salivary glands persists, the doctor may resort to surgery to remove what clogs these glands.
