Uncle Yi (pseudonym) from Lin’an is 60 years old this year. He has an unspeakable secret that has plagued him for more than 10 years: as soon as he eats, his jaw will suddenly bulge, and the pain will be unbearable, but after a while This “bag” will automatically disappear again and again, making him annoyed. Uncle Yi said that at first he only felt discomfort when eating, but in recent years he began to experience repeated severe pain. After several visits to the local health center for anti-infective treatment, he improved, but the attacks continued. So, Uncle Yi came to the Stomatology Department of the First People’s Hospital of Lin’an District for treatment. After the examination, the ultrasound showed: abnormal echo in the right submandibular gland duct, considering the submandibular gland duct calculus, and chronic inflammatory changes of the submandibular gland.
CT examination showed that the right sublingual gland and the submandibular gland duct were round-like high-density shadows. The diagnosis of submandibular gland duct stones with infection was made by specialist examination and auxiliary examination analysis. The Department of Stomatology of Lin’an First Hospital, Uncle Yi, performed an intraoral lithotomy of the right submandibular gland duct, and a calculus with a diameter of about 7mm was taken out. The symptoms of swelling and pain disappeared after operation, and the patient’s intraoral submandibular gland duct was unobstructed and salivary secretion was normal.
Removed stones
Neck stones too?
In most people’s impressions, stones are generally common in kidney stones, urinary tract stones, and gallbladder stones, but stones in the neck organs can also occur. It turns out that there are a pair of saliva-secreting organs under the human chin, which are called “submandibular glands” in medicine. They produce about 60 percent of the saliva in the mouth. These saliva are secreted into the mouth through the ducts attached to the submandibular glands and participate in our daily oral physiological activities. Due to various anatomical and physicochemical factors, the submandibular gland and its subsidiary ducts of some people are prone to form calculi, which in turn affect the normal secretion of saliva. The retention of saliva can not only cause swelling of the mouth and face, but also easily lead to infection.
The cause of salivary gland stones is currently unknown. Its source may be related to the retention of saliva in the mouth, foreign bodies, inflammation and the imbalance of calcium and phosphorus metabolism in the body. Occurs in young and middle-aged people aged 20-40. Large sialoliths cause difficulty in saliva excretion, manifested as swollen glands when eating, patients feel bloated and painful, sometimes severe pain, needle-like, called “saliva colic”. “. Symptoms disappear a few minutes to a few hours after you stop eating. Severe cases last for a long time, and even do not completely subside.
How to treat submandibular gland stones?
1
Conservative treatment
Acid foods can be eaten for small duct stones to promote saliva secretion, which is expected to be discharged on their own.
2
Surgical removal of stones
for stones For those located in the anterior segment of the submandibular gland duct (before the mandibular second molar), the submandibular gland has no recurrent infection, and the gland has not been fibrotic, direct surgery or salivary gland endoscopy can be used to remove calculus.
3
Submandibular Glandectomy
Applies to the above methods Stones that cannot be removed, and recurrent submandibular adenitis leading to fibrosis of the glands, those who have lost their uptake and secretion functions.
How can these diseases be prevented?
To prevent such diseases, the following three points must be done:
1. Drinking more water is the key, which can prevent the formation of sialoliths.
2. When there are symptoms of salivary duct obstruction, acidic drugs and fruits can be eaten to promote saliva secretion, and small sialoliths may be excreted by themselves.
3. Pay attention to the protection of the submandibular gland duct and strengthen oral hygiene.
Source: Healthy Hangzhou