Salivary duct stones

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Head and neck glands

Overview

Symptoms

Treatment

Prevention

Salivary duct stones

Definition:

Salivary duct stones are crystallized minerals in the ducts that drain the salivary glands. Salivary duct stones are one of the salivary gland disorders.

Alternative Names:

Sialolithiasis

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

During eating, saliva (spit) is produced by the salivary glands in the mouth. The chemicals in saliva can crystallize into a stone that can block the salivary ducts. When saliva cannot exit a blocked duct, it backs up into the gland, causing pain and swelling of the gland. The submandibular glands, at the back of the mouth on both sides of the jaw, are most often affected by stones.

Review Date: 1/23/2005
Reviewed By: Kevin Fung, M.D., FRCS(C), Department of Otolaryngology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2004 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.