Table 2 Patient reported physical symptoms associated with chronic sialadenitis

Swelling

9

40

“There’s just so much swelling it looks like a deformity on the outside of my face.” -Interview 7

Pain

7

25

“I dealt with these bad sharp pains for quite a while” -Interview 2

Volume of Saliva

4

13

“The dry mouth is the only thing I’ve noticed.”- Interview 6

Texture of Saliva

2

3

“…my gland would swell up and then there would be a large discharge and a lot of sand and grit in my mouth…”- Interview 4

Taste of Saliva

2

5

“…it (saliva) would have a different taste. It was pretty salty, like a mineral, and sometimes it kind of had a metallic or mineral salt kind of taste.”-Interview 2

Drooling

4

8

“…it seems like I’m drooling more.” -Interview 5

Difficulty chewing/trismus

4

11

“I couldn’t open my jaw to the full capacity that I can usually open it, when I had the swelling” -Interview 8

Difficulty swallowing

3

5

“It just feels like the passageway isn’t fully open and that there is a blockage. Like it has to go around something it shouldn’t normally go around.” -Interview 6

Palpable stones in mouth

6

8

“I know it (stone) was always there because I could always feel it in my mouth.” -Interview 3

Painful eating

6

14

“It was a sharp pain, it felt like you were eating something sharp that stabbed you in the gums.” -Interview 2