Embouchure Dystonia - Trombone - "Losing the Lip" - Loss of Lip Control Wind Instruments -- Music and Medicine on MondayClick Here
Make a Donation

Salivary Gland Terminology (Anatomy, Salivation, Dry Mouth, Drooling)

Submitted by aabdelreheem on Fri, 09/17/2021 - 11:39
Classification of Salivary Ducts (Image from Iowa Head and Neck Protocols)
Sublingual Folds (By Dr. Johannes Sobotta - Sobotta's Atlas and Text-book of Human Anatomy 1906, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29847522)
Right Parotid Papilla (Created by and used with permission from Hellerhoff)
Sublingual Caruncula and orifice adjacent to the frenulum (Created by and used with permission from Hellerhoff)
Stenson's duct on parotid sialogram (Image from Iowa Head and Neck Protocols)
Wharton's duct on submandibular sialogram (Image from Iowa Head and Neck Protocols)

see also: Hypersalivation Ptyalism Sialorrhea; Botox injection to salivary glands for hypersalivation; Sialograms and Sialography; Botulinum neurotoxin infusion to the parotid via Stensen's duct Research protocol (IRB approved)

Anatomy

Parotid Gland

  • Stensen's duct - Main parotid duct that opens into the parotid papilla 

    • Iowa Salivary Duct Classification System (main duct, secondary ducts, tertiary ducts, acini)

    • 1º (main duct): segment of duct from the oral cavity to the first major bifurcation

    • 2º (secondary): segment of duct proximal to first major bifurcation and distal to second bifurcation

    • 3º (tertiary): any duct proximal to the second bifurcation (including those that could be considered quaternary)

  • Parotid papilla; parotid puncta - Small prominence or elevation onto which the Stenson's duct opens into the mouth. Found along the buccal mucosa adjacent to the 2nd molar
  • Parotid orifice - True opening in which Stensen's duct opens into. Found within the parotid papilla/puncta
  • Acini - Individual secretary unit in which saliva is formed. 
  • Serous Acini - Acini that secrete serous saliva that is rich in amylase (enzyme to help breakdown starch)
  • Mucinous Acini - Acini that secrete mucinous saliva that is rich in the glycoprotein mucin and functions to lubricate the oral cavity that supports dental hygiene, antimicrobial activity, and swallowing.  
  • Adenomeres - Single unit of one or more acini joined with a single duct. (Grewal 2020).
  • Lobules - Multiple adenomeres form a lobule. (Brazen 2021)
  • Lobe - Multiple lobules, each separated by a connective tissue septum, form a lobe. (Brazen 2021)

Submandibular Gland

  • Wharton's duct - Also known as submandibular duct; the main duct of the submandibular gland that drains into the floor of mouth through the sublingual caruncula (distinguish from "Warthin's tumor" see: Warthin's Tumor)
  • Sublingual caruncula, caruncle, or sublingual papilla - Prominences on either side of the base of Lingual Frenulum representing the sites through which Wharton's duct drains.
  • Lingual Frenulum - Band of connective tissue that is attached along the ventral tongue to the floor of mouth
  • Plica- Derived from the Latin word plicare, to fold (Merriam-Webster online dictionary 2021)
  • Plica Fimbriata - Derived from the Latin word, fimbria, meaning fringe; Plica Fimbriata are mucosal folds on the ventral side of the tongue running laterally on each side of the frenulum. 

Sublingual Gland

  • Bartholin's Duct - Common duct of sublingual gland that joins Wharton's duct to drain into the sublingual caruncle
  • Ducts of Rivinus - Series of short ducts that drains saliva from the sublingual gland directly onto the floor of mouth
  • Sublingual Fold or Plica Sublingualis - Elevated fold of mucosa along the floor of mouth indicating the sublingual gland through which the ducts of Rivinus drain

​​​Salivation (see also Hypersalivation Ptyalism Sialorrhea)

  • Sialorrhea or Hypersalivation - Excessive salivation (Merriam-Webster Online dictionary 2021)
  • Ptyalism - Excessive flow of salivation 
  • Drooling - Unintentional loss of saliva from the mouth (Scully 2009)
  • Gleek, Gleeking - Projection of saliva intentionally or non-intentionally 

Dry Mouth

Common Salivary Pathologies

  • Sialectasis (sialangiectasia) - Dilation or enlargement of salivary duct usually due to obstruction
  • Sialolithiasis - Sialolith or salivary stones 
  • Sialadenitis (see also Salivary Swelling) - Inflammation of a salivary gland
  • Sialosis (sialadenosis) - Chronic, non-inflammatory, non-neoplastic, diffuse swelling of major salivary glands, usually bilateral (Scully 2008)

References

Armstrong MA, Turturro MA. Salivary gland emergencies. Emerg Med Clin North Am. 2013 May;31(2):481-99.

Brazen B, Dyer J. Histology, Salivary Glands. [Updated 2021 May 10]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK551688/

Carlson GW. The salivary glands. Embryology, anatomy, and surgical applications. Surg Clin North Am. 2000 Feb;80(1):261-73, xii.

Ghannam MG, Singh P. Anatomy, Head and Neck, Salivary Glands. [Updated 2021 Jun 11]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538325/

Grewal JS, Bordoni B, Shah J, et al. Anatomy, Head and Neck, Sublingual Gland. [Updated 2021 Jul 22]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK535426/

Holmberg KV, Hoffman MP. Anatomy, biogenesis and regeneration of salivary glands. Monogr Oral Sci. 2014;24:1-13. doi:10.1159/000358776

Scully C, Bagán JV, Eveson JW, Barnard N, Turner FM. Sialosis: 35 cases of persistent parotid swelling from two countries. Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2008;46(6):468-472. doi:10.1016/j.bjoms.2008.01.014 

Scully C, Limeres J, Gleeson M, Tomás I, Diz P. Drooling. J Oral Pathol Med. 2009;38(4):321-327. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0714.2008.00727.x