A tonsillolith or a tonsil stone, affects about 8,000 people a year. The stones can be a source of irritation, pain, and severe halitosis or bad breath. Actually, the stones consist of deposits of calcium carbonate forming hard lumps in the crypts of the tonsils. They are milky-white in color, irregular in shape, and sometimes known as calculus in the tonsil area. Commonly, the tiny stones can be coughed out as these are only between the size of a pea and a grain of sand. Oftentimes, people will not realize they already have one after they notice they have bad breath. It is essential that tonsil stones should be removed with the use of light water pressure or a throat spray.
The most common symptoms of tonsil stones are burning sensation felt in the throat and pain in the back of the neck as the stones rub against the wall of the throat’s back. In addition, difficulty in swallowing, sporadic coughing, and inflammation at the back of the throat are experienced by the afflicted person. Basically, bad breath is the most common problem encountered that goes together with tonsil stones. This is due to the escalation of anaerobic bacteria producing a compound that is sulfur-like in nature, causing the foul odor of breath. In come cases, ear pain is also a symptom which is experienced as a result of a deposit.
The most common cause of tonsilloliths is tonsillitis or the inflammation of the tonsils. Tonsillitis may possibly cause bacteria to become trapped in the clefts of the tonsils where these become favorable for their growth and leads to the formation and development of the stones. Although tonsil stones are seldom very big in size, they will often come out as clusters of tiny, white nodes. These are visible in the naked eye but usually, they can be confirmed by passing through a CT or an X-Ray scan.
Removal of tonsil stones can often be done simply on your own. In addition, the practice of good oral hygiene will allow the stones to just disappear in time. Cotton swabs or Q-tips can be used to help remove the tiny stones, aside from the use of salt solution gargle, loosening the stones and removing them over time.
Doctors also prescribe antibiotics to help eliminate the stones that have already formed. When infection sets in, the tonsil stones must be removed by surgical means. Another choice is tonsillectomy, or the total removal of the tonsils, eliminating the possibility of the formation of new stones. Although these stones can be annoying and irritating, these can be possibly removed completely to get rid of the bad breath that they are causing.