Expansion
Peter Piper's Salty Snacks
Mnemonic
Three pairs, each with a duct, a nerve and a stone risk:
| Gland | Duct | Secretomotor | Opens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parotid | Stensen’s | IX, via otic ganglion | Opposite the second upper molar |
| Submandibular | Wharton’s | VII, chorda tympani | Floor of mouth, beside the frenulum |
| Sublingual | Ducts of Rivinus | VII, chorda tympani | Floor of mouth |
“Stensen is in the Cheek, Wharton is on the Floor”, and “S for Stensen and Second molar”.
Secretion type follows size: parotid is serous, submandibular mixed, sublingual mucous.
Stones form in the submandibular gland in about 80 per cent of cases, because Wharton’s duct is long, runs uphill against gravity, and carries thicker mucous saliva. The presentation is pain and swelling before or during meals.
Tumours follow the opposite rule: about 80 per cent are in the parotid, and about 80 per cent of those are benign pleomorphic adenomas.
Expansion
- P - Parotid, largest, mostly serous
- S - Submandibular, mixed secretion
- S - Sublingual, smallest, mostly mucous