Salivary Gland Infections

[Trumpet Seeker]

Any trumpet players out there have problems with chronic salivary gland infections? I have suffered this over and over again, requiring antibiotics. It stems from back pressure from playing the trumpet. I've tried all sorts of solutions including hydration, swishing with lemonade after playing, lemon drops, sterilizing the mouthpiece every time, and even packing the side of my mouth with a tea bag after playing. Yet, this problem keeps cropping up. If you have any suggestions, I'm all ears.
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Mister Trumpet
Getzen Capri C in lacquer
Getzen Capri C in silver
Selmer Radial B-flat in lacquer
Selmer Radial B-Flat silver and gold
Couesnon convertible 1951

[etc-etc]

This is best discussed with a doctor.

[Rhondo]

[Doug Elliott]

Whether or not it's related to playing, it sounds like a general oral hygiene issue. And if air pressure from playing is causing the infections, it's the environment BEFORE you play that's important, not what you do after playing.
How often do you get your teeth professionally cleaned?
You should discuss all of this with a dentist.

[Trumpet Seeker]

Oh, yes, I have discussed this with my dentist, my oral surgeon, and my doctor. Nobody has a solution. And I don't think it is an oral hygiene issue. I do professional dental cleaning twice a year, floss twice a day, brush at least twice a day, and I should have mentioned in my original post---I swish with salt water every time I play. Everybody has oral bacterial. Apparently it is the back pressure that forces bacteria into the salivary duct and gland. The most effective thing I have found so far is hydration. I drink about 50 ounces of water during my practice session and that seems to handle it most of the time---but not always. Who makes a plant-based valve oil, where can I get it, and why do you think that would make a difference?
_________________
Mister Trumpet
Getzen Capri C in lacquer
Getzen Capri C in silver
Selmer Radial B-flat in lacquer
Selmer Radial B-Flat silver and gold
Couesnon convertible 1951

[etc-etc]

Similar case was reported in 2011 for a young tuba player:

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/Healthday/story?id=6858895&page=1

The following and related articles may be of interest for discussion with your doctors:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214541917300172

[Rhondo]

Monster Oil and I believe Berpbio oil are plant based.

I don’t know that it would help your situation but my theory as a non-expert is that anything that taxes your immune system can make it weaker. I’d guess inhaling petroleum based fumes would do that. May not have any effect on your problem at all though.

[Doug Elliott]

Well you're a trumpet player so you're probably assuming it's related but it may not be. Non-musicians get that too.

[TrumpetMD]

Speaking as a physician, but just giving general advice. Chronic salivary gland infections/inflammation (sialadenitis) are typically caused by salivary gland stones or by medical conditions that cause oral dryness such as Sjögren’s. The problem in the suggested articles, pneumoparotid, is a pretty rare cause for this. A CT Scan can help to differentiate between the various etiologies. I doubt that a plant-based valve oil will have any impact. For chronic cases, an otolaryngologist can be consulted, and a biopsy is sometimes needed to clarify the diagnosis.

Best of luck with this.

Mike
_________________
Bach Stradivarius 43* Trumpet (1974), Bach 6C Mouthpiece.
Bach Stradivarius 184 Cornet (1988), Yamaha 13E4 Mouthpiece
Olds L-12 Flugelhorn (1969), Yamaha 13F4 Mouthpiece.
Plus a few other Bach, Getzen, Olds, Carol, HN White, and Besson horns.

[Trumpet Seeker]

Thank you, Mike. This is very helpful. And you may have touched on an important point. I also suffer from ankylosing spondylitis/psoriatic arthritis. Could that be related?
_________________
Mister Trumpet
Getzen Capri C in lacquer
Getzen Capri C in silver
Selmer Radial B-flat in lacquer
Selmer Radial B-Flat silver and gold
Couesnon convertible 1951

[Jabroni]

Good day,

Please go to your family dr or if you are in severe pain visit an emergency room. TH is not the place to be seeking free medical advice, especially with conditions that may not be related to
the trumpet.

[Trumpet Seeker]

Sorry I offended you, Jabroni. I thought my problem was due to my trumpet playing. It had not occurred to me that it might be related to my underlying medical condition, but I'm happy to have learned that. I don't think I would have this problem if I did not play the trumpet. If you look back earlier in this thread, you'll see there's another fellow who appears to have a similar problem. Hopefully this discussion will help him too. In any case, just know that I am a professional trumpet player, holding down two trumpet jobs. I have three Getzen C's and a Bach Strad b-flat.
_________________
Mister Trumpet
Getzen Capri C in lacquer
Getzen Capri C in silver
Selmer Radial B-flat in lacquer
Selmer Radial B-Flat silver and gold
Couesnon convertible 1951

[TrumpetMD]

[Crazy Finn]

I've played trumpet since the Reagan era and I've never even heard of a salivary gland infection, let alone experienced one (or had a chronic thing with it).

To be clear, I'm not saying that to disregard your issues or imply that it isn't one - not at all.

I also have no idea if it would be connected to trumpet playing. I don't know of any other trumpet players with that issue, and I've known a lot of players over the decades. This isn't definitive of anything, of course - you should seek out actual medical advice.

However, you asked for input on people with this issue and I guess I shared my lack of exposure to this issue - ie, from my experience, this is not a common thing at all. Probably not helpful, but it's all I've got.
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LA Benge 3X Bb Trumpet
Selmer Radial Bb Trumpet
Yamaha 6335S Bb Trumpet
Besson 709 Bb Trumpet
Bach 184L Bb Cornet
Yamaha 731 Bb Flugelhorn

[falado]

Hi, when is the last time you thoroughly cleaned your horn and mouthpiece?
Dave
_________________
FA LA DO (Ab: V/ii) MUCS, USN (Ret.)
Stomvi VR (Reeves) with VR II Bell
Bach 239 25A C, Blueprinted
Bach 37, Early Elkhart, Blueprinted
Kanstul Flugel
Getzen 4 valve Pic.
Yamaha D/Eb
Besson Cornet

[Trumpet Seeker]

I sterilize the mouthpiece before every session and I clean my trumpets regularly. They are virtually spotless.
_________________
Mister Trumpet
Getzen Capri C in lacquer
Getzen Capri C in silver
Selmer Radial B-flat in lacquer
Selmer Radial B-Flat silver and gold
Couesnon convertible 1951

[Trumpet Seeker]

I think we can end this discussion now. It has become clear to me that the problem is not with my trumpet or my trumpet playing technique. The problem is me and my underlying medical condition. It was my oral surgeon who led me astray when I first suffered one of these salivary infections about ten years ago. My dentist sent me to him. The oral surgeon said, "Oh, you play the trumpet!" and went on to say this phenomenon is common among wind instrument players. Well, from this thread, it is obvious that it is NOT common. It took a doctor who is also a trumpet player to put two and two together and now I am at last on the right path. I can now take this understanding back to my medical professionals and see what can be done. I thank you all very much. I am truly grateful. By the way, I suspect every person on earth has an underlying medical condition of some sort, whether they know it or not.
_________________
Mister Trumpet
Getzen Capri C in lacquer
Getzen Capri C in silver
Selmer Radial B-flat in lacquer
Selmer Radial B-Flat silver and gold
Couesnon convertible 1951

[JonathanM]