Salivary glands
Learning objectives
This study unit will help you to:
- Identify the major and minor salivary glands.
- Master the location, structure and function of each major salivary gland.
- Distinguish between the different types of salivary glands.
- Appreciate the important relations of the major salivary glands.
Watch video
The salivary glands are exocrine tubuloacinar structures whose excretory ducts open into the oral cavity. As their name indicates, the main function of these glands is to secrete saliva, a seromucous liquid that has several major functions within the oral cavity including lubrication, digestion, physicochemical/immune defence and taste transmission. The total daily output of saliva in an adult is about 1.5 liters. The major salivary glands are the paired parotid, submandibular and sublingual glands. Additionally, there are as many as 600 minor salivary glands scattered throughout the oral cavity.
This video tutorial will provide you with an overview of the salivary glands.
Take a quiz
Now that you have watched the videos about the salivary glands, test your acquired knowledge with our quiz.
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Browse atlas
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You can now observe each structure in more detail with our image gallery:
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/parotid-gland-4/zAUjz2wuBBmaAQatY79NOw_Parotid_gland_01.png "Parotid gland (Glandula parotidea); Image: Paul Kim"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/parotid-duct/kpVid4nUXxg1BMVKqOEv3g_Parotid_Duct_01.png "Parotid duct (Ductus parotideus); Image: Paul Kim"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/masseter-muscle-4/Bp99RrqfqHxkLNHGBQcTgA_Masseter_M._01.png "Masseter muscle (Musculus masseter); Image: Paul Kim"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/external-carotid-artery-8/J3Ei87mIOSxau6SVF8ic5Q_External_Carotid_01.png "External carotid artery (Arteria carotis externa); Image: Paul Kim"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/transverse-facial-artery-2/eGNSI2qf52ffxmGpFUExg_Transverse_Facial_Artery_01.png "Transverse facial artery (Arteria transversa faciei); Image: Paul Kim"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/anterior-and-posterior-divisions-of-retromandibular-vein/o1lEdopMjOhn2ilCDT4YoQ_Retromandibular_vein_divisions_01.png "Anterior and posterior divisions of retromandibular vein (Divisiones anterior et posterior venae retromandibularis); Image: Paul Kim"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/facial-nerve-9/3NRObRDjDNpWzTI8dIA_Facial_nerve_branches_01.png "Facial nerve (Nervus facialis); Image: Paul Kim"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/buccinator-muscle-3/VuJL5stbW51J5sc1aSv6w_Buccinator_M._01.png "Buccinator muscle (Musculus buccinator); Image: Paul Kim"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/nervus-auriculotemporalis-2/OqpkG6OF8m4pbe71ymWu6Q_Auriculotemporal_nerve_magni.png "Auriculotemporal nerve (Nervus auriculotemporalis); Image: Paul Kim"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/nervus-glossopharyngeus-4/c58hvSSeiSK9ixV8CpbumQ_N._glossopharyngeus_m01.png "Glossopharyngeal nerve (Nervus glossopharyngeus); Image: Paul Kim"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/tongue-5/8yM0x06z5T9ZnCUAj53RA_Tongue_01.png "Tongue (Lingua); Image: Paul Kim"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/submandibular-gland-2/je51XLXFoQ5YITdQgj7vw_Submandibular_gland_01.png "Submandibular gland (Glandula submandibularis); Image: Paul Kim"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/submandibular-triangle/8UYpjXt1pJz6WIDG3pOiHw_Submandibular_triangle.png "Submandibular triangle (Trigonum submandibulare); Image: Paul Kim"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/submandibular-duct/glwxxWOuChCupSzt7RDYgQ_Submandibular_Duct_01.png "Submandibular duct (Ductus submandibularis); Image: Paul Kim"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/facial-artery-4/NPwymWXWlkUakLWAdFt1A_Facial_Artery_01.png "Facial artery (Arteria facialis); Image: Paul Kim"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/facial-vein-7/btbNHE4DMQZLu4upuhMYg_Facial_Vein_01.png "Facial vein (Vena facialis); Image: Paul Kim"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/sublingual-gland/jiaQgClEiigdI3yJAL6KQ_Sublingual_gland_01.png "Sublingual gland (Glandula sublingualis); Image: Paul Kim"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/mylohyoid-muscle-3/kSdc1V3scCHJv1OP6tcw_Mylohyoid_M._01.png "Mylohyoid muscle (Musculus mylohyoideus); Image: Paul Kim"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/digastric-muscle-3/Qayg1nCIH9ZA0xIuKHxw_Digastric_01.png "Digastric muscle (Musculus digastricus); Image: Paul Kim"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/stylohyoid-muscle-2/7PlrKkbCjs6ezbpKrSQQQ_Stylohyoid_M._01.png "Stylohyoid muscle (Musculus stylohyoideus); Image: Paul Kim"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/sublingual-caruncle/iKRR8QzpKfzEJRhoLxl0Kw_Subligual_carnicule_copy_01.png "Sublingual caruncle (Caruncula sublingualis); Image: Paul Kim"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/sublingual-fold/ztbcexBuZMpKwjK6a9KpA_Sublingual_fold_01.png "Sublingual fold (Plica sublingualis); Image: Paul Kim"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/sublingual-artery-3/sBQiTy90t3mddtQ41vdyXQ_Sublingual_Artery_01.png "Sublingual artery (Arteria sublingualis); Image: Paul Kim"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/sublingual-vein/5ULB5NCDk3nFXaRxNbKCA_Sublingual_V._01.png "Sublingual vein (Vena sublingualis); Image: Paul Kim"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/nervus-sublingualis/pnEdP5RclXi1kdaPKWKg_Sublingual-nerve_magni.png "Sublingual nerve (Nervus sublingualis); Image: Paul Kim"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/chorda-tympani/UTY1jgujTfNOwtZLVq9lOg_Chorda_tympani_m01.png "Chorda tympani; Image: Paul Kim"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/internal-jugular-vein-14/T41vAT0atKLQxsTdpCmfdA_Internal_Jugular_V._copy_01.png "Internal jugular vein (Vena jugularis interna); Image: Paul Kim"){kind=logo}
:watermark(/images/watermark_only.png,0,0,0):watermark(/images/logo_url.png,-10,-10,0):format(jpeg)/images/anatomy_term/external-jugular-vein-4/Nx2UfcV6d0burmZ0RTKfjg_External_Jugular_V._01.png "External jugular vein (Vena jugularis externa); Image: Paul Kim"){kind=logo}
Summary
| Definition | Salivary glands are tubuloacinar exocrine glands whose ducts open into the oral cavity and secrete saliva. |
| Parotid gland |
Location: Preauricular region Type: Serous gland Excretory duct: Parotid duct (of Stensen) (opens on buccal wall at the level of maxillary second molar) Blood supply: Branches of the external carotid artery (superficial temporal artery, maxillary artery, transverse facial artery) Innervation: Auriculotemporal nerve, glossopharyngeal nerve, external carotid plexus |
| Submandibular gland |
Location: Submandibular triangle Type: Mixed gland Excretory duct: Submandibular duct (of Wharton) (opens at sublingual papilla under tongue) Blood supply: Sublingual artery, submental artery Innervation: Chorda tympani (CN VII) |
| Sublingual gland |
Location: Beneath the sublingual fold Type: Mucous gland Excretory duct: Major sublingual duct (of Bartholin), minor sublingual ducts (of Rivinius) (open along sublingual folds) Blood supply: Sublingual artery, submental artery Innervation: Chorda tympani (CN VII) |
Well done!
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