Swollen Salivary Gland: Causes and What to Do

A swollen salivary gland feels like a sore lump in front of the ear, under the jaw or under the tongue. The most common causes are a small stone blocking the saliva tube, an infection from germs, or a virus such as mumps. Drinking water, massage and things that make saliva flow usually help. This guide is by Dr. Pedro Yelamo Vera, a GP licensed in Spain (Colegiado No. 484814280).

Where are the salivary glands?

• Parotid glands: in front of and below each ear. These swell in mumps.
• Submandibular glands: under the edge of the jaw. These form the most stones.
• Sublingual glands: under the tongue.

There are also hundreds of tiny glands across the mouth.

What causes a swollen salivary gland?

• Stones: small chalky stones block the tube. Saliva builds up and the gland swells.
• Bacterial infection: this tends to happen when saliva flows slowly. Causes include not drinking enough, a stone, poor mouth care, older age, recent surgery or medicines that dry the mouth.
• Viruses: mumps is the best known, but other viruses can do it too.
• Autoimmune disease: such as Sjögren's syndrome, which dries the mouth and eyes.
• Growths: these are rare, and most are not cancer. They tend to be painless lumps that grow slowly.

How do I know if it is a salivary gland stone?

The classic sign is a gland that swells and hurts when you eat, or even see food. That is when you make the most saliva. The swelling often goes down after an hour or two. It most often affects the gland under the jaw. Some small stones come out on their own.

How do I know if it is infected?

An infected gland hurts all the time and is red and warm. There may be pus or a bad taste in the mouth. You may have a fever and find it hard to open your mouth. If germs are the cause, a doctor may prescribe antibiotics. Antibiotics do not work on viruses.

Is it mumps?

Mumps is a virus that swells one or both parotid glands. It comes with fever, headache, tiredness and pain when you chew. It spreads through coughs and sneezes. Stay at home for at least 5 days after the swelling starts.

In Spain, the MMR jab (triple vírica) protects against measles, rubella and mumps. It is part of the routine childhood vaccines. If you are not sure you had it, ask a doctor. In adults, mumps can cause swollen testicles or ovaries.

Is it a salivary gland or a lymph node?

There are also lymph nodes under the jaw. They swell with throat infections, tooth problems or colds. A lymph node tends to be smaller, round and moves under the skin. It does not change when you eat. See our guide to swollen lymph nodes.

What can I do at home?

• Drink plenty of water so your saliva keeps flowing.
• Suck sour or lemon sugar-free sweets, or chew sugar-free gum, to make more saliva.
• Hold a warm cloth on the gland and gently massage it, from the back towards your mouth.
• Rinse with warm salty water and brush your teeth well.
• For pain you can take paracetamol or ibuprofen. Follow the leaflet.
• Do not try to dig out a stone with anything sharp.
• If you smoke, try to stop.

What treatments are there?

Most cases improve with home care, or with antibiotics if germs are the cause. A stone that does not come out can be removed by an ear, nose and throat specialist (otorrino), often with a small procedure. A painless lump that does not go away needs a scan.

What do I ask for in Spain?

In Spanish, a salivary gland is a glándula salival, a stone is a piedra or cálculo, and mumps is paperas. Sugar-free sweets are caramelos sin azúcar.

When to see a doctor

• The swelling lasts more than a few days or keeps coming back.
• You have a fever, pus in your mouth or pain that is getting worse.
• You have a painless lump that has not gone in a few weeks.
• Your mouth and eyes are dry all the time.
• You think you may have mumps, above all if you are not vaccinated or are pregnant.

When to go to A&E or call 112

• Trouble breathing or swallowing your saliva.
• The floor of your mouth or your neck swells and your tongue is pushed up.
• You cannot open your mouth.
• High fever and you feel very unwell.
• Sudden weakness on one side of the face.

Frequently asked questions about a swollen salivary gland

Getting a medical assessment

If you have a swollen or painful gland, you can book a video consultation with Dr. Pedro Yelamo Vera, a physician registered in Spain. You can also read about urgent care by video and a bitter taste in the mouth. A prescription is never guaranteed: it is issued only where clinically appropriate after a genuine evaluation, as a private electronic prescription under Spanish law. This service is for urgent, non-emergency care. In an emergency, call 112.

This guide is general information. It does not replace the package leaflet or the advice of your doctor or pharmacist.