The salivary glands in mammals are exocrine glands, glands with ducts, that produce saliva. They also secrete amylase, an enzyme that breaks down starch into maltose.

Structure

The salivary glands are detailed below:

Parotid glands

The two parotid glands are major salivary glands wrapped around the mandibular ramus in humans. The largest of the salivary glands, they secrete saliva to facilitate mastication and swallowing and to begin the digestion of starches. It is the serous type of gland which secretes the ptyalin. It enters the oral cavity via the parotid duct or Stensen duct. The glands are located posterior to the mandibular ramus and anterior to the mastoid process of temporal bone. They are clinically relevant in dissections of facial nerve branches while exposing the different lobes of it since any iatrogenic lesion will result in either loss of action or strength of muscles involved in facial expression. They produce 20% of the total salivary content in the oral cavity.