Is it possible to get rid of bad breath from tonsil stones?
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Tonsil stones – just what are they??
TONSIL STONES, which are also called WHITE TONSILS, TONSILLITHS or TONSILLOLITHS, are quite common and can be a nuisance to many.
These can appear as whitish or yellowish spots on the tonsils and can feel irritating as though something is stuck in your throat.
Gargling or swallowing huge gulps of water doesn’t seem to help much at all.
At times, these can even get coughed up on occasion, but they don’t all come out so easily. So then, what exactly are these bothersome tonsil stones, and what can we do about them?
The “stones” are solidified bits of mucus and bacteria which form around tiny food particles that can get caught within tonsil crypts – pockets or divots in the surface of your tonsils (this is why having tonsil stones can also be known as “CRYPTIC TONSILS“) [1].
They’re generally no real cause for alarm, but can be reasonably uncomfortable – especially the bad breath from tonsil stones!
Doctors often mistakenly prescribe antibiotics for this, but this usually doesn’t do much for it. It’s just not the right tool for the right job.
See, what causes tonsil stones, indeed even what they specifically are, has only recently been thoroughly researched and understood.
This is why most people in the medical field may think that antibiotics can help.
They may mistakenly see these as a precursor to tonsillitis, and recommend a complete tonsil removal when the antibiotics seem not to affect.
But the truth of the matter is that a tonsillectomy is not necessary at all. It would be like burning down an entire forest just because you found one tree with Dutch elm disease.
There are natural remedies for permanently eliminating tonsil stones, and drastic surgery is just simply not the answer.
White tonsils… how do we fix them?
Is there a natural way to remedy white tonsils?
White tonsils can be quite an undesirable condition to endure, so many have tried to use different gargling solutions – Listerine, salt water, vinegar, and even combinations of these.
This doesn’t do the trick for everyone all the time.
Halitosis can be hell [2]!
The fact is that these “stones” are the seed source of the horrendously lousy breath that one can have as a result from them, so even if you use mouthwash, you’ll have minty fresh bad breath!
Once the particulate matter is expelled from the tonsils’ crypts, or pockets in their surfaces, the trick is in making the tonsils’ surfaces much smoother and less apt to catch food particles which can get lodged into them. Then the bad from tonsil stones will be gone forever.
The secret to this can be as simple as a dietary supplement – not a pill, but a simple change in the things you eat.
Maybe add something to your existing menu which can do the trick – that’s what is needed here.
No surgery, no chemical medications or nasal sprays to get rid of white tonsils, nothing like that – just a simple, natural means of maintaining a healthy, pink set of tonsils without any uncomfortable stones in them, or any bad breath that can result from white tonsils or tonsil stones.
Understanding the Cause Can Help You Cure Tonsil Stones
Do you have chronic bad breath but you’re not sure why?
You may have tonsil stones and not even know it. The good news is you can cure tonsil stones very easily and inexpensively.
Tonsil stones form when mucus from the nasal passage combines with sulfur-producing bacteria from food particles.
The stones accumulate in the crevasses of the tonsils and condense into small particles. The particles are whitish, yellow and are foul smelling.
Other symptoms include chronic halitosis also know as stubborn bad breath from tonsil stones and taste disorders.
There is often a thick white bacterial coating on the tongue. You may also experience a sore throat that never goes away.
You may even experience a sensation as the tonsil stone grow larger that something is stuck in your throat.
The Symptoms of Tonsil Stones
Generally, tonsil stones occur more in adults than in children, and they are not always visible.
They can be hidden in the tonsil crypts but still, cause symptoms. Many tonsil stones are first detected on X-rays and CAT-scans.
These stones do generally not cause any significant symptoms. It is not until they become bigger that the more significant signs show.
Now, here are the known symptoms of tonsil stones [3]: (The symptoms in bold are the most common ones.)
- A sore throat
- Swollen tonsils
- White bumps in throat
- A persistent cough
- Bad breath
- Metallic taste in the mouth
- Choking sensations
- Difficulty swallowing
- Coughing up white debris
- Ear pain
- Tinnitus and other ear problems
- Lack of energy
- Dizziness
- “Water” running from the nose when you tilt forward.
Some of the symptoms on this list are produced by the stones pressing some nerves that run in the neck and throat.
Dizziness, for example, is most likely to be caused by the stones pressing on the eustachian tube and disrupt the balance organ which is located in the inner ear.
The easiest way of knowing whether you have tonsil stones or not is to look for those white bumps in the back of your throat. Tonsil stones differ from tonsillitis by texture.
The two conditions give very similar symptoms. Tonsil stones are harder and resemble small rocks that sit in the tonsils. Tonsillitis shows white goo that lies on the surface of the tonsils and the texture is more smooth.
Some doctors tend to misdiagnose these stones. They say that they are just food particles and will eventually go away.
Sadly, tonsil stones will not go away by themselves since they are lifestyle related.
They are a byproduct of too much waste products in the lymph fluid. Read the causes of tonsil stones to learn more about what is causing them to appear.
You can physically remove tonsil stones by yourself, but it can be uncomfortable because you might trigger your gagging reflex. You can use your fingers or the back of a toothbrush, or you can use q-tips.
Why Most Treatments Do Not Cure Tonsil Stones
Using a Q-tip, water pick or blunt instrument to remove tonsil stones may be effective at getting rid of the tonsil stone temporarily but the stones almost always come back.
You need to be very careful that you don’t damage the tonsil or cause infection.
Unfortunately, even if you are successful at removing the tonsil stones, you’re still stuck with the annoying and embarrassing bad breath.
Prevention Is A Key To Cure Tonsil Stones
Here are a few steps that you can take daily to help prevent tonsil stones.
- Brush your teeth in the morning evening and after every meal – Brushing dislodges the food particles that get stuck in your teeth and helps keep your mouth bacteria free.
- Use a tongue scraper after you brush your teeth – Get as far back on your tongue as you can to remove bacteria that has accumulated which your toothbrush may have missed
- Gargle with alcohol-free mouthwash or salt water – At least three times per day is recommended.
- Avoid Eating Before Bed – Food particles that remain in your mouth while you sleep can accumulate in your tonsils.
- Eliminate dairy products from your diet or limit your intake – Dairy products encourage the buildup of mucus and calcium, which are components of tonsil stones.
- Drink mostly water – Water keeps your mouth moist; sodas, juices and caffeine drinks will aid in tonsil stone growth
Even Surgery Will Not Cure Tonsil Stones
Your doctor may tell you that the only way to get rid of tonsil stones is surgery. Tonsil stone surgery is excruciating, costly and can take up to 3 weeks or even a month to recover from.
What your doctor may not tell you is that tonsil stone surgery will not eliminate your bad breath. Even after the surgery, many people experience whitish, yellowish globs developing at the back of their throat.
Tonsil has a purpose in preventing bacteria from entering the throat and invading sensitive organ tissue of the lungs and esophagus.
Laser resurfacing and tonsil removal are common surgeries to remove tonsil stones, but both compromise the bodies natural line of defense and leave the body susceptible to disease.
Laser resurfacing smooths the surface of the tonsil to eliminate the crevasses where food and bacteria accumulate and eventually form tonsil stones.
Why go through the pain, cost and long recovery time from surgery when there are natural solutions that will eliminate tonsil stones and bad breath for good.
Diet changes can help
What you eat and when you eat it can affect whether you get tonsil stones. Follow these tips to help prevent and get rid of tonsil stones
Eliminate or limit your intake of dairy products as these foods aid in the build-up of mucous and calcium which are components of tonsil stones.
Drink plenty of water and avoid drinks with sugar or caffeine as both aids in tonsil stone growth.
Refrain from eating 30 minutes before bedtime. Food particles which lie around your mouth while you sleep can accumulate in the crevasses of the tonsils and cause tonsil stones.
Popular YouTube tip to get rid of tonsil stones
How are you coping with it and what are your tips for dealing with bad breath from tonsil stones?
Please share your tips in the comments below.