A Guide To Tonsilloliths.

Those tonsils you’ve sometimes cursed during illness (but mostly largely ignored) are in fact not useless at all. In fact, they’re among the first lines of defense against sickness. They trap bacteria and viruses in the throat, before these carriers of sickness can go further. However, they are perfect and don’t always work as they should. In some cases, dead cells, mucous, or bacteria can get trapped in tonsil crevices, which can lead to small white or yellow-colored stones called “tonsil stones,” or tonsiliths.

Tonsiliths are simply “garbage” that gathers around the tonsils, like postnasal drip, bacteria, and even food. They harden into small, yellow-colored stones that can look like small white spots at the back of the throat. They may also be caused by salivary glands that are overactive, or as a reaction to dairy products.

It wasn’t too long ago that people simply thought these tonsil stones were bits of food or small bits of plaque that got caught in the back of the throat. Many of these tonsiliths are very small indeed, such that they can often be overlooked in normal examinations, and often aren’t caught until they’re seen on something like a CT scan.

But how do you know if you have tonsiliths? The symptoms are unpleasant and can be extremely embarrassing. The most common is the feeling of having something stuck in the back of your throat or a feeling of your throat tightening up. You might have a metallic aftertaste you can’t get rid of and of course, foul breath.

You can treat tonsil stones, though, and in many cases you can do it from home. Gargle thoroughly and establish a good oral hygiene routine, which can help take care of them. You can reach the back of your throat with your finger, a Q-tip, or the back of your toothbrush, and gently scrape them away. You can squeeze them out by brushing gently upwards with your brush, finger, etc., pressing gently as you do so. There are other methods you can get rid of them with, too, and you can find them by Googling, “tonsil stones,” or “tonsiliths” on the Internet.

If tonsiliths are particularly severe, surgery may be recommended. Cryptolysis involves having a surgeon remove tonsiliths with a laser, and then smoothing tonsil surfaces so that tonsiliths can’t regrow. Remember, though, even though this may seem like a good idea, when the tonsil surfaces are smoothed, this negate some of the benefits of the rough surfaces’ catching of bacteria and other foreign matter as a means to prevent infection and so on.

If the problem is particularly severe, you can of course have your tonsils removed. However, even though this will probably take care of the tonsiliths, it won’t take care of the bad breath you normally get, and it won’t even necessarily stop tonsiliths from forming. Surgery is expensive and painful, and it can take up to a month to completely recover.

There are other ways to help fight tonsil stones, among them diet and good oral hygiene. Cut back on your dairy intake and don’t eat for half an hour before bed to keep food from accumulating. Brush your teeth after you eat and before bed to keep bacteria from gathering, gargle and drink water. Not only will following these tips be good for your mouth and your breath, but good for your body, as well.

Sick and tired of halitosis caused by tonsil stones ? Check out our online overview to prevent tonsilloliths for the exclusive inside skinny on how to get rid of the stones forever.