What Are Tonsil Stones?

Also referred to as tonsilloliths, tonsil stones is a common problem that most people don’t even know about. This condition can cause a lot of pain and irritation in the person who is suffering from it. Calcium deposits that build up over time are actually the cause of these little bumps developing towards the back of the mouth. People who have these hard little stones in their mouth often experience bad breath too.

They have an appearance of a white milky color and they are small but big enough to see. The shape of these stones are sometimes round, but they can take the form of other shapes too. Most people who have this problem don’t even know until they cough them out.

There are various signs that will let a person know they are suffering from this annoying condition. One of the most common signs of this condition is a burning or itching sensation towards the back of the throat. Some people might also experience some difficulty when it comes to swallowing. If you notice that you are having a hard time swallowing food then your tonsils might be inflamed due to the stones causing irritation.

Probably the more common that pain and inflammation is bad breath. A lot of times people suffering from tonsil stones will believe they just have halitosis, but in fact they are suffering from a much more major problem. When tonsil stones begin to appear so does a lot of bacteria. This bacteria will cause a compound to be produced that will cause very bad breath. If you have tonsil stones you might also experience some pain in your ear as well. There are other symptoms people experience when they have tonsil stones, but these are the most common.

Inflammation of the tonsils in the back of your mouth is the main cause of tonsil stones developing. Some people have also developed these stones due to bacteria getting trapped in the tonsil pockets. Once bacteria gets trapped in these pockets they’ll begin to multiply and cause stones to form.

Tonsil stones can get very big, but in most cases these stones won’t grow that big. In fact, in most cases the stones are small enough to fit on one finger. It is almost impossible to see them with the human eye, which is why doctors use X-Rays in order to check to see if a patient has one or not.

When it comes to treatment the first option is to practice healthy oral hygiene. Simply brushing your teeth, flossing, and using mouthwash will help kill the bacteria trapped inside the pockets of the tonsils and preventing the stones from forming.

Other than practicing good oral hygiene you can utilize cotton swabs to knock out stones if you can see them. You will need to use a mirror to take a look at the back of your throat and knock out the stones. A salt-water gargle can also be used to loosen up the stones and remove them gradually.