The major salivary glands produce approximately one quart of saliva each day, which in turn plays a crucial role in food digestion, swallowing, speech, and protection of teeth against bacteria and ...

If you have a salivary gland infection or the parotid gland becomes blocked due to salivary gland stones or scar tissue, you could also experience jaw pain or swelling.

They all secrete saliva -- the parotid through tubes called salivary ducts near the upper teeth, the submandibular under the tongue, and the sublingual through ducts on the floor of the mouth.