Different Ways to Say Goodbye to Tonsil Stones

Tonsil stones are small lumps that form in your tonsil as a result of frequent infections. This is a treatable condition and does not require much effort. Usually, there are no major symptoms of this condition apart from bad breath in some cases, and it causes minor discomfort.

In this write-up, we will focus on the causes, signs, and remedies to treat tonsil stones.

Tonsil Stones: What are These and What are the Causes?

Tonsil stones or tonsilloliths are lump formations on the surface of your tonsils. These are debris or build-up, which can be treated with surgical methods and home remedies.

Food particles, bacteria, dead cells, etc., tend to settle on the tonsil surface, forming these stones. The tonsil stones causes include:

• Poor dental hygiene
• Chronic sinus issues
• Postnasal drip
• Excessive mucus production
• Tonsillitis or chronic tonsil inflammation
• Large tonsils or cryptic tonsils
• Bacterial or viral infections
• Smoking or tobacco use
• Dehydration and dry mouth
• Dietary habits – eating dairy and sugary foods

Hence, these stones are easily removable and home remedies like gargling with salty water are enough to manage this disease in the primary stage.

Tonsil Stones Symptoms: How to Understand?

Here are the symptoms of tonsil stones:

• Extremely foul breath
• Earache
• Coughing
• Hard to swallow food
• Losing taste in the mouth or bad taste
• White patches on the tonsils
• Recurring throat infections

Diagnosis of Tonsil Stones: What are the Methods?

To understand the condition and suggest necessary treatments, doctors will run the following types of diagnosis:

• A complete physical throat examination
• Finding stones from teeth dents
• Throat scan if stones are not clearly visible

Dental examinations generally show tonsil stones. However, for symptomless tonsil stones, X-rays will be necessary.

Treating Tonsil Stones 

Here is an understanding of how to remove tonsil stones with proper treatment:

1. Antibiotics

Antibiotics are the most common and effective treatment for tonsil stones, especially if it is chronic tonsillitis or bacterial infections. They function by getting rid of the bacteria that cause the stones to form. Moreover, antibiotics lower inflammation and stop the recurrence of the disease.

2. Tonsillectomy

The only effective treatment for severe or persistent tonsil stones is tonsillectomy or tonsil removal. Surgical tonsil removal is another form of treatment that is necessary to remove large tonsil stones. Doctors perform minimally invasive techniques to perform this surgery nowadays. However, only when home remedies become ineffective is tonsillectomy usually taken into consideration.

3. Tonsil Cryptolysis

This is a laser treatment for tonsil stones. In this process, the doctor will resurface the crypts from tonsils with the help of a laser instead of removing the whole tonsil. The treatment is more popular because it requires no anaesthesia and involves less future harm. Moreover, patients will recover quickly by getting this surgery.

4. Coblation Tonsil Cryptolysis

In this process, a physician will use salt water and radio frequency to remove crypts and treat those areas of tonsils where stones are formed. Moreover, this method is even safer than laser cryptolysis.

Can You Do Tonsil Stone Removal at Home?

At-home tonsil stone removal is possible and your physician will suggest you do so in the first place. These methods are as follows:

1. Gargling with Saltwater

This is the most common way of removing tonsil stones at home. Warm salt water helps loosen tonsil stones and remove them. In addition, salt water gargling will reduce pain and discomfort in your throat caused by tonsil stones.

2. Eating Garlic

Garlic is an amazing vegetable full of antibacterial and antifungal properties. It has the potential to remove tonsil stones and stop their occurrence. Allicin is the main antibacterial component of garlic that treats tonsil stones.

3. Gargling with Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar breaks and dislodges tonsil stones. Therefore, people can put apple cider vinegar (ACV) into warm water and gargle with this mixture as per a physician’s guidance. A tablespoon of ACV is enough for this mixture, so be aware of overpowering it.

4. Using Irrigator

Low-pressure irrigator or water flosser is another way of removing tonsil stones. The process can damage your gentle throat tissues, so be very careful while performing it and always keep the water pressure low. In addition, using a mirror is necessary while doing this. Professional assistance before doing this is recommended.

Conclusion

By now, you must have got a clear idea about tonsil stones, their removal at home, and further necessary treatments from this article. Bad breath is the main problem of tonsil stones, so you should maintain proper oral hygiene to manage this situation. And, for further assistance, consult a medical expert.