Salivary gland

The salivary glands make saliva. Saliva keeps the mouth and other parts of the digestive system wet and slippery. It also helps break down food when you are chewing. This helps food go down the throat to the stomach.

There are three main pairs of salivary glands.^[1] They are

1. the parotid,
2. the submandibular and
3. the sublingual glands.

There are also many small glands in the tongue, cheeks, lips and palate. All of those glands make mucous.

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Fehrenbach; Herring 2007. Illustrated head and neck anatomy. Elsevier. 170–171