Tonsils can get inflamed and can cause significant problems, but the fact is, these so-called “useless” tonsils that were once removed as a matter of course are in fact not useless at all. In fact, they help protect us from illness, because they are among the first lines of defense that help protect our bodies from bacterial and viral onslaughts. In fact, they trap viruses and bacteria before they can go further. However, they’re not entirely without problems, and they don’t always work like they should. In some cases, mucous, bacteria, dead cells, or other debris can get caught in tonsil crevices, thus causing so-called tonsil stonestonsil stones or tonsiliths, which are small white or yellow colored stones.
These stones, also known as tonsiliths are accumulated bits of food, post-nasal drip and bacteria that collect in and around the tonsils. These accumulations gather into small, hard, yellowish stones that look like small, almost invisible white spots in the back of your mouth. They can also be caused by overactive salivary glands or a reaction to dairy products.
Not long ago, people simply thought these tonsiliths were bits of food or bits of plaque that got caught in the back of the throat — and indeed, they are very small, such that normal physical examinations may not catch them; in some cases, they won’t be seen until a more refined test is used, like a CT scan.
Do you know if you have tonsiliths? Symptoms can be embarrassing and uncomfortable. Most often, you are going to feel like you’ve got something stuck in the back of your throat, or you may feel your throat tightening. You may have a constant or near constant “metallic” taste in your mouth, and you probably have bad 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.
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