Introduction
The salivary stone is called sialolite in medicine and belongs to the rather rarely occurring diseases. Mostly adults are affected, but it can also occur in children as a result of certain diseases (e.g. mumps). Salivary stones are solid, small deposits that are formed by a change in the composition of the saliva.
They are often found in the excretory ducts of the large parotid glands (mandibular parotid gland, sublingual parotid gland and parotid gland), where they can lead to a variety of diseases and problems. The most important of these is inflammation of the salivary glands (sialadenitis), where various symptoms occur. Sufficient drinking can reduce the formation of a salivary stone and its complications, as water is largely responsible for the consistency of the saliva. The stone can be easily identified by means of X-rays or an ultrasound examination and can therefore be treated quickly.
Typical symptoms of a salivary stone
The symptoms of the presence of a salivary stone can vary greatly depending on its size. Only after a certain size does the stone detach from the gland and enter the excretory duct. There it leads to a congestion of saliva, which can cause various problems.
The typical symptoms of a salivary stone include
- Pain in the area of the salivary glands
- Inflammation, swelling and redness of the affected gland
- Fever
- Dry mouth
- In some cases, abscess formation can occur, and when it is emptied, pus is released into the oral cavity, causing an unpleasant taste.
Pain can occur as one of the typical symptoms of a salivary stone. Its extent depends on the size and location of the stone. If the stone causes inflammation of the salivary glands, e.g. in the parotid gland area, chewing and eating can also be painful.
This leads to increased saliva production, which exerts additional pressure on the affected tissue. At the same time, opening the mouth can cause pain, since the temporomandibular joint and the chewing muscles are in close proximity to the parotid gland. A salivary stone very often leads to an inflammation of the salivary gland.
Both non-infectious factors and infectious factors (bacteria and viruses) play an important role in this process. Typical characteristics of an inflammation of the salivary gland are swelling, redness and pain.
- Non-infectious factors include the use of drugs that reduce salivary flow (e.g. diuretics).
- In addition, narrow spots, scars and tumors in the area of the salivary gland can lead to the development of inflammation.
- The salivary stone causes the saliva to accumulate behind it, causing the associated gland to swell.
If bacteria or viruses now enter the affected area from the oral cavity, they are no longer flushed out due to the accumulation of saliva. They can therefore multiply unhindered and cause an inflammation.
As a result of inflammation, the skin over the affected area is swollen and severely reddened. The redness is caused by increased blood circulation, which is a common feature of inflammatory processes.
Fever is one of the body’s general reactions to an inflammation. Therefore, an inflammation of the salivary glands can also lead to an increase in body temperature due to a salivary stone. The fever increases the activity of many cells of our immune system, so that an inflammatory process can be fought more effectively.
In some cases, the proliferation of bacteria and viruses can lead to abscess formation in the area of the inflamed salivary gland. An abscess is a cavity in the tissue filled with pus. If it empties, the pus flows into the mouth and causes an unpleasant taste.
This topic might also be of interest to you: Abscess in the mouthAn important indication for the existence of a salivary stone can be a noticeably increased dryness of the mouth. This is due to the fact that the mucous membranes are not sufficiently covered by it due to the reduced salivation. Dry mouth can lead to various secondary diseases, since saliva has an important and central protective and cleansing function in the entire mouth area.
Swelling and redness in the area of the salivary glands indicate inflammation. The symptoms usually appear suddenly and unilaterally. At the same time, pain can occur, which increases when eating.If inflammation occurs due to a salivary stone, the lymph nodes in the neck and head area can swell.
They belong to our immune system and are the first filter station for our tissue water. This contains nutrients and waste products (e.g. pathogens such as bacteria and viruses), which are then disposed of by the lymph nodes. These swell, which means that they can usually only be perceived and felt.
Salivary stones can also be present without the occurrence of pain. Only above a certain level does this lead to pain. If it does not lead to inflammation, the affected gland swells, which may or may not be accompanied by pain. In most cases, it is only noticed when increased saliva has to be produced.
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