The first question that we get to hear when we talk of salivary glands is what is a gland. Before understanding salivary glands, we should understand what glands are in general. Glands are organs that secrete specific substances that perform certain functions in our body. Similarly, the main function of saliva is to help a person in swallowing food and keep the throat area free from germs. The parotid glands are located in front of the ear, while the submandibular glands are located below the jaw. Again the sublingual glands are located under the mouth floor and either side of the tongue. But there are also some important veins and structures near these salivary glands which should be protected during surgery to avoid excess complications. The salivary secretion helps to clear your throat while speaking, swallowing, and other things.