Sialolithiasis, also known as salivary stones, is a condition in which stones of crystalized minerals form in the ducts of the salivary glands. Sialolithiasis is the most common cause of salivary gland swelling. A stone that forms in the sublingual gland, located underneath the tongue, can lead to a sore, painful bump.
Bumps under the tongue due to trauma/canker sores:
You can help the healing process by: Applying a cold compress to the area for 20 minutes several times a day. Taking over-the-counter pain medication, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Avoiding hot beverages and spicy foods, which can irritate the area.
Salivary gland stones are small stones that form in salivary glands in your mouth and can block the flow of saliva. They're not usually serious and you may be able to remove them yourself.
Unfortunately, simply popping or removing the fluid from the gland does not resolve the problem because the duct will continue to stay blocked. That is why the preferred treatment of choice for mucocele is surgical removal.
A ranula usually presents as a translucent, blue, dome-shaped, fluctuant swelling in the tissues of the floor of the mouth. If the lesion is deeper, then there is a greater thickness of tissue separating from the oral cavity and the blue translucent appearance may not be a feature.
Use sugar-free gum or candies such as lemon drops, or suck on a lemon wedge. They increase saliva, which may help push the stone out. Gently massage the affected gland to help move the stone.
A ranula is a clear or bluish cyst that can form under your tongue. It can happen spontaneously, or as a result of trauma or injury to your mouth. Ranulas aren't cancerous or dangerous.
If one of the salivary glands, usually the sublingual gland, is injured or diseased the saliva will no longer reach the mouth where it can be swallowed. The saliva leaks out of the injured gland and forms a bubble of fluid in the tissue around the gland which is called a ranula.
Ranulas develop when your saliva drains into a cyst-like bubble instead of into your mouth. They're usually not serious, and sometimes they go away on their own. If they don't, your doctor can drain or surgically remove them.
If a ranula is small and has not grown in the past few weeks, there may not be a need to go to the doctor. But if the ranula is increasing in size or has become painful, you'll need medical attention. A large ranula will also interfere with breathing, speech, swallowing, and eating.
Tonsil stones are small lumps of hard material that form in the tonsils. Tonsil stones can cause bad breath though they're usually not painful or harmful. They're also called tonsilliths. You can usually treat tonsil stones at home.
The most common presentation of ranula is a painless, slow-growing, soft, and movable mass located in the floor of the mouth.
Oral Thrush
Oral thrush can cause a white or yellow film to form on the tongue and can cause discomfort when eating and drinking. Thrush is caused by an overgrowth of yeast in the mouth, which can be a result of poor oral hygiene, a weakened immune system, or antibiotics.
For parotid glands, place two fingers behind the ear and slide them forward along cheek, while applying gentle pressure. For the submandibular/sublingual glands, place two fingers under the jaw and slide them forward, along the edge of the jaw line to promote flow of saliva into floor of the mouth.
Patients with an untreated ranula will continue to experience the pain and swelling of the ranula, and if infected, can result in serious neck abscesses requiring hospitalization and abscess drainage procedures.
Ranula can resolve on its own in most cases. But if the ranula is large, you definitely have to consult a doctor.
The peak prevalence occurs in persons aged 10-20 years. Although not well studied, superficial mucoceles tend to occur in individuals older than 30 years. Ranulas usually occur in children and young adults, with the peak frequency in the second decade.
Clinically ranulas present as intraoral or plunging ranulas. The prevalence of ranula is 0.2% per 1000 patients Ranulas account for 6% of all salivary gland cysts. Ranulas are more common in children and young adults.
This is done through an incision inside the mouth. If there is a cervical (plunging) ranula, sometimes an incision in the mouth will be used to remove the sublingual gland in conjunction with a separate incision in the neck to remove the plunging portion.
Pediatric Head and Neck Masses
Ranulas are benign cystic lesions associated with the sublingual gland. There are two types: simple and plunging (diving). The simple ranula is a retention cyst resulting from an obstructed sublingual gland. The simple ranula is located in the sublingual space, above the mylohyoid muscle.
This has suggested a genetic basis for ranulas of early life including plunging ranulas which were found to be more frequent in the ethnic groups of the Maori and the Pacific Island Polynesians [13, 14].
Symptoms of Salivary Gland Tumors
Firm, usually painless swelling in one of the salivary glands (in front of the ears, under the chin, or on the floor of the mouth).
The term ranula is derived from the Latin word rana, meaning frog, and describes a blue, translucent swelling in the floor of the mouth reminiscent of the underbelly of a frog.
A stone can sometimes be removed by squeezing them out by hand or by making a small cut in the opening to the duct.