Rinse regularly using a mouthwash, gently swishing alcohol-free mouthwash around your mouth helps kill bacteria and loosen tonsil stones.
Gently swishing a nonalcoholic mouthwash around the mouth can loosen tonsil stones and reduce the number of bacteria in the mouth.
Using an antibacterial mouthwash may help reduce oral bacteria and plaque, both of which may contribute to the formation of tonsil stones. The American Dental Association advise people to look for a mouthwash that contains the following active ingredients: cetylpyridinium chloride.
A warm saltwater gargle helps with swelling and discomfort. Gargling can even help dislodge the stone. Try a gargle of 1 teaspoon salt mixed with 8 ounces of water. Use a cotton swab to remove a tonsil stone that's bothering you.
Gargling with salt water is a known method of making your throat feel better, but it can also dislodge tonsil stones. The salt acts as an abrasive that shakes everything loose in the back of your throat. The salt can also change up the chemistry in your mouth which will reduce the further presence of tonsil stones.
When stones form, you can remove them either by gently pressing them out with a cotton swab or the back of your tooth brush, or by washing them out with a low-pressure water irrigator. You can use this device to aim a gentle stream of water at the tonsil craters and rinse out debris that may be caught in them.
Sometimes, tonsil stones dissolve or dislodge on their own in a short time. They may last for weeks if the bacteria continue to grow. If untreated, tonsil stones may last for years.
Poor oral hygiene, as well as tobacco use, can increase the likelihood of tonsil stones. But in other individuals, it's the structure of the tonsils themselves that makes them more prone to developing tonsil stones.
If you have a difficult time removing your tonsil stones at home or simply feel uneasy doing it yourself, then your dentist can remove them for you. Dentists typically remove tonsil stones by using a professional air or water syringe, or a simple tongue depressor.
Foods To Be Avoided
Alcohol and carbonated beverages must be avoided, as these beverages can cause intense pain, irritation, and burning sensation in the throat. Citrus fruits like oranges and lemons are acidic in nature, which may be too harsh on the throat and irritate the tonsils.
If you cannot remove the stones yourself, your ENT doctor can perform a tonsil stone removal in their office. Laser tonsil cryptolysis uses a laser to eliminate the crypt where the stones are lodged. Severe and chronic cases may require a removal on the tonsils, known as a tonsillectomy.
Gargle and rinse with an alcohol-free mouthwash every day. Mouthwashes with alcohol lead to dry mouth, which encourages the growth of bacteria and allows it to build up, sometimes resulting in tonsil stones. Stay hydrated with water! Water will flush away bacteria and stop it from building up.
This can include avoiding certain foods, such as dairy products or sugary snacks, that can contribute to the formation of tonsil stones. You may also need to use a nasal spray or other medication to manage post-nasal drip or acid reflux.
Preventing Tonsil Stones
Brush your teeth twice a day or after meals: Use an anti-bacterial toothpaste like Crest Pro-Health to better neutralize plaque and limit the spread of oral bacteria into the throat.
In most cases, removing a tonsil stone can be done at home. Using a cotton swab, gently push on the tonsil, behind the stone, to force the stone out. Vigorous coughing and gargling can dislodge stones, as well. Once the stone is out, gargle with salt water, to remove any remaining bacteria.
People who have long-term tonsillitis are more likely to get tonsil stones. The only way to prevent them is to remove your tonsils. Good dental habits can help prevent tonsil stones. Brush and floss your teeth regularly to remove bacteria and keep things from getting stuck in your tonsils.
Tonsil stones usually take a bit of time to form and can be either very small, medium-sized, or very large. In fact, the largest tonsil stone on record is 14.5 cm, which is shy of six inches wide. However, most tonsil stones are small, and patients may not even realize at first that they have them.
The only way to permanently prevent tonsil stones is to remove the tonsils via tonsillectomy. In very rare cases, tonsils have grown back following this procedure. A tonsillectomy is safe, but it can cause throat pain for several days after surgery.
Symptoms of tonsil stones
Some tonsil stones don't cause any symptoms. If you have symptoms, they may include: Bad breath — Tonsil stones can have a foul odor, making severe bad breath one of the main symptoms.
Typically, the smell is sulfuric, like rotten eggs. Bad taste in mouth: You may experience a metallic taste in the back of the throat due to tonsil stones. Difficulty or pain when swallowing: When tonsil stones form, they can be accompanied by inflammation.
Because tonsils stones are composed primarily of bacteria, this is known to produce a foul-smelling sulfide. You will notice this both when the stone is in your tonsil and when it is dislodged and visible outside your body.
Sometimes the tonsil stones are so deeply embedded that they cannot be removed at home. In this case, an ear, nose and throat specialist can often remove the stones. If a person gets tonsil stones often, then the patient and doctor may discuss removing the tonsils.
Tonsil Stone Home Remedies
Regularly using a water flosser is a great way to keep your mouth clean and prevent the formation of tonsil stones. Gently swishing mouthwash around your mouth can kill bacteria and loosen tonsil stones. This is another easy way to loosen tonsil stones.
Tonsil stones usually fall out on their own without treatment. You can try to help dislodge the stones by brushing your teeth regularly and gargling with warm salt water (one teaspoon of salt mixed with eight ounces of water). You do not need antibiotics.