Anatomy
Salivary glands
Salivary glands are small organs in and around the mouth that make saliva. Saliva moistens the mouth, helps you swallow and helps protect your teeth.
Salivary glands are organs that make saliva and empty it into the mouth. The large ones are the parotid, submandibular and sublingual glands.
Saliva does many jobs. It also contains minerals such as calcium and phosphate that help keep teeth strong and fight tooth decay.
Many medicines, some health conditions and radiation to the head and neck can make the glands produce less saliva. That causes dry mouth, which raises the risk of cavities. A dentist can help you look for the cause. See also the entry on saliva.