Remote Health Care

Known in the medical field as tonsillolith, a tonsil stone is a collection of bacteria, mucus, and particles of foods left in the mouth which tends to calcify in time. Later, they will form into whitish or yellowish-colored patches that collect in the crevices of the tonsils in the oral cavity. Typically, the presence of stone is not easily noticed because it is covered with the tonsils. However, as it grows in size, they start to become visible as they may protrude and may grow in size as large as a pea.

The tonsil stones are not readily detected since the only symptom identified with them is that something that gets stuck on your throat. They seem to produce an unpleasant odor causing bad breath or halitosis. This can be a source of embarrassment especially when you start to open your mouth to talk. You will notice that people start to turn away from you and this will surely affect your social life as well as your daily living.

Although the tonsil stones are not known to cause harm, they provide discomfort and can be a cause of annoyance. There is difficulty in swallowing, and they are responsible for the metallic taste in the mouth. What most people don’t know is that good oral hygiene can do wonders to prevent its formation. The teeth must be brushed and flossed regularly; and the mouth must be rinsed properly after eating. In addition, antiseptic gargling solutions must be used before going to bed. In their absence, salt water can be a good substitute.

When the stones have just started to form, try dissolving them by regular gargling with the use of vinegar-water mixture. When the tonsil stones are still small in size and not formed deeply in the soft tissues of the mouth, these can be easily removed with the use of Q-tips or cotton swabs. The tissues around the stones can be pressed with your fingers or a Q-tip and the stones will then be unseated and forced out. Make sure that everything is clean in order not to infect the tissues. Also, avoid using sharp objects like toothpick which could damage the tissues and result in an injury.

For stones that grow superficially, a medicine dropper can be used to suck out the debris. This is done after splashing the mouth with salt water. In order to avoid issues with tonsil stones, pay attention to signs and symptoms of their growth in your mouth and treat them in time. This will help you avoid or even stop these reasons of your embarrassment and allow you to happily enjoy your social life.