A salivary gland stone is a calcified structure which forms inside the salivary gland or duct and which may block saliva from flowing into the mouth. The glands at the bottom of the mouth are the most frequently affected.
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It's not known exactly what causes them but some factors may include poor diet, dehydration and certain medications. They can become painful when they reach a large enough size that they block the saliva from getting into the mouth. Smaller stones can be got rid of by stimulating saliva flow by sucking on sour or lemon flavoured sweets. However for larger stones, surgical removal may be necessary - which should be done by a doctor.
In this video, a young man takes matters into his own hands, removing a salivary gland stone from his mouth by himself - and filming it on his mobile phone. Be warned - you may not want to watch this if you're in the middle of eating...
