Blocked salivary glands are the most common problem your saliva glands can experience. Usually blocked by a stone, the gland in the floor of the mouth (submandibular gland) faces this condition the most, followed by the glands on the side of the face (parotid gland), according to the Journal of Medical Research (JMR).
The initial signs are swelling in the area of the gland as the stone starts to impede release of saliva. This inflammation creates some amount of pain, and as you can imagine, the saliva backup itself can produce dry mouth that makes it easier for bacteria to grow. The technical name for this condition is sialolithiasis.