Salivary Glands in Spanish

What happens when the glands make too little saliva

The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) explains that saliva keeps the mouth clean and healthy because it contains antibodies that kill germs. If the salivary glands are damaged or are not producing enough saliva, NIDCR says, it can affect taste, make chewing and swallowing more difficult, and increase the risk for cavities, tooth loss, and infections in the mouth. Dry mouth is one of the symptoms MedlinePlus lists for salivary gland problems.

Words that come up with salivary gland problems

MedlinePlus lists these symptoms of salivary gland problems: a bad taste in the mouth, difficulty opening the mouth, dry mouth, pain in the face or mouth, and swelling of the face or neck. One of these words is stone: NIDCR says small stones that form in the gland ducts may obstruct the flow of saliva, and the gland may swell and become painful and infected. MedlinePlus adds that problems can also be due to other disorders, such as mumps or Sjogren's syndrome.

What it means

The salivary glands are glands located in the mouth that make saliva (spit) and empty it into the mouth through openings called ducts. There are three pairs of large salivary glands: the parotid glands, found in front of and just below each ear; the submandibular glands, below the jaw; and the sublingual glands, under the tongue. There are also hundreds of smaller glands. Saliva makes food moist, which helps with chewing and swallowing, and it helps digest food. It also cleans the mouth and contains antibodies that can kill germs. Problems with the salivary glands can cause them to become irritated and swollen, and the causes of such problems include infections, obstruction, or cancer.

Spanish term: Glándulas salivales
Gender and article: feminine plural: las glándulas salivales (singular: la glándula salival)
Pronunciation: GLAHN-doo-lahs sah-lee-BAH-lehs

Other Spanish terms	Where it is used	Note
glándula salivar	General	Form with -r that the National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary gives, in the singular, as another name for glándula salival.

MedlinePlus en español and the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) both write glándulas salivales, a feminine plural: las glándulas salivales. The National Cancer Institute's Spanish dictionary enters the singular, glándula salival, and says it is also called glándula salivar. In the NIDCR text each of the three large pairs has its own name: glándulas parótidas (parotid), glándulas submandibulares (submandibular) and glándulas sublinguales (sublingual).

The two health sources use different words for the openings that carry saliva into the mouth: MedlinePlus en español writes ductos and NIDCR writes conductos. Other words that appear beside the term are boca seca (dry mouth), which NIDCR also calls sequedad bucal; cálculos, the small stones that can form in the ducts and obstruct the flow of saliva; paperas (mumps); and síndrome de Sjögren.

Phrases for an appointment

What a patient or a clinician might say, in English and Spanish:

Who	English	Spanish
Patient	I have a swelling under my jaw, and it hurts more when I eat.	Tengo una hinchazón debajo de la mandíbula, y me duele más cuando como.
Clinician	Is the swelling in front of your ear, under your jaw, or under your tongue?	¿La hinchazón está delante de la oreja, debajo de la mandíbula o debajo de la lengua?
Patient	My mouth has been very dry, and I have a bad taste in my mouth.	He tenido la boca muy seca, y tengo un mal sabor en la boca.
Clinician	Is it hard for you to open your mouth, to chew or to swallow?	¿Le cuesta abrir la boca, masticar o tragar?
Clinician	I am going to examine your salivary glands and the inside of your mouth.	Voy a examinarle las glándulas salivales y el interior de la boca.
Patient	Another doctor told me I had a stone in a salivary gland. What does that mean?	Otro médico me dijo que tenía un cálculo en una glándula salival. ¿Qué significa eso?
Clinician	A small stone can block the duct, the opening that carries saliva into your mouth.	Un cálculo pequeño puede obstruir el conducto, la abertura que lleva la saliva a la boca.
Patient	Could you write down the name of the gland for me in Spanish and in English?	¿Podría escribirme el nombre de la glándula en español y en inglés?

In 9 languages

Language	Term
English	Salivary Glands
Spanish (Español)	Glándulas salivales
Chinese (中文)	唾液腺
Korean (한국어)	침샘
Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt)	Tuyến nước bọt
Filipino (Tagalog)	Glandula ng laway
Portuguese (Português)	Glândulas salivares
Thai (ภาษาไทย)	ต่อมน้ำลาย
Japanese (日本語)	唾液腺

Where you'll see it

chartdischarge summarymedical recordsurgical report

Related terms

Your right to an interpreter in the United States

If English is not your primary language and you have difficulty communicating in English, you may need an interpreter or a translated document when you visit a doctor or dentist, go to the emergency room or pick up a prescription. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights states that two federal laws, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, require programs that receive its funding to provide language access services free of charge.

You can ask when you make the appointment or at the front desk: "I need an interpreter, please." «Necesito un intérprete, por favor.»

More terms: Digestive system

All terms in this area: Digestive system — Sistema digestivo

Sources

This page is a language reference. It is not medical advice.