About Tonsil Stones
- Tonsil stones or tonsilloliths are clusters of calcified material formed in the crevices of the tonsils or tonsillar crypts.
- You can feel them in their throat, even if they can't see them.
- They are a common cause of bad breath and an occasional cause of throat pain.
- They may feel like lodged food but are not food. The stones actually result from the growth of bacteria and debris from a low grade tonsil infection (chronic tonsillitis).
- They can be treated with simple removal of the stones, antibiotic therapy or tonsillectomy.
Questions
- Do you get frequent sore throats?
- Do you snore?
- Do you get frequent throat or tonsil infections?
- Do you often feel large food get stuck in your throat?
- Do you spit or pick out smelly stones from your throat?
- Have you had an abscess around yourtonsil?
Solutions
- You can poke them out with a Qtip or Waterpik and spit them out.
- One or several courses of antibiotics can treat the area of infection and prevent them from recurring.
- Surgery with removal of your tonsils (tonsillectomy) is the final option if medical therapy with antibiotics fails.
