The intrinsic salivary glands are located within the oral mucosa. There are three pairs of major intrinsic salivary glands: the parotid glands, the submandibular glands, and the sublingual glands. The parotid glands are located one on each side of the face, anterior to the ears. The submandibular glands are located near the base of the floor of the mouth, under the tongue. The sublingual glands are also located near the base of the floor of the mouth, one on each side of the midline. In addition to these three pairs of major glands, there are numerous minor intrinsic salivary glands located throughout the oral mucosa.