The Successful Removal of Tonsil Stones
Tonsilloliths are also known as tonsil stones and there are about 8,000 individuals afflicted with these stones each year. The symptoms include irritation, pain, bad breath, and difficulty in swallowing hence the need to get rid of tonsil stones. Actually, these tonsilloliths are deposits of calcium carbonate that form small, pea-like, and hard lumps in the crypts or hollow spaces in the tonsils. These are milky whitish in colour and sometimes appear yellowish. Known as “plaque of the tonsils”, they are shaped irregularly and can be coughed out. Many persons are unaware they already have the stones until they notice continuous bad odour of their breath.
The usual symptoms of tonsilloliths are pain felt at the back of the neck while having difficulty in swallowing. When the stones rub against the back wall of the throat, burning sensation in the throat is also experienced. There is inflammation at the back of the throat and other people will encounter sporadic coughing. But the most common sign that you have these stones is the bad odour of the breath which is caused by the presence of anaerobic bacteria, producing the sulphuric compound that results to the bad breath. As a result of these stone deposits on the throat or tonsils, ear pain is also experienced.
One of the most common causes of the formation of these tonsil stones is tonsillitis or the inflammation of the tonsils. This occurs because bacteria are trapped in the tonsil clefts and multiply fast, as the condition allows them to the formation of the stones. Although the stones rarely grow to be very large, they form clusters of small, whitish nodes that cannot be seen by the naked eye. However, their presence can be confirmed through the use of a CT scan or an X-Ray.
The removal of the tonsils can be easily accomplished by practicing good oral hygiene. You will find out that they will readily disappear in time. Some natural treatment for tonsil stones where these stones can be removed is by the use of cotton swabs, Q-tips, toothpick, and your toothbrush. These objects help remove the tonsil stones by poking them carefully to the affected area where the stones are. Warm salt-water gargle also aid in loosening the stones and may help expel them over time.
You need to consult with your doctor if your condition persists as they can prescribe antibiotics to help treat the inflammation caused by the irritation resulting from the formation of these stones. But if the stones have already been infected, it is a necessity to have them removed by surgical means. Tonsillectomy is another option by surgery, which is the total and permanent removal of the tonsils to stop new stones from forming and stop the bad breath and other symptoms that they are causing.
The Causes of Tonsil Stones and How They are Formed
Tonsil stones or tonsilloliths are calcified and solid white, yellowish, or grayish looking substances lodged in your tonsils at the back of your mouth. These are dead cells, bacteria, and other foreign materials that have accumulated in the crevices of your tonsils. Some people are sometimes fooled by these materials since they seem to be food particles that get stuck at the back of the throat.
The formation of tonsillolith requires knowledge of how the lymphatic system works in our body. The lymphatic system carries red blood cells, nutrients, and oxygen to the organs and cells of the body. The major function of the lymph fluid is in carrying mostly white blood cells, essential in our body’s defense against infection.
The lymph fluid also brings with it all the waste, bacteria, and “garbage” that the body organs and cells get rid of. This body fluid then goes through the lymph nodes. A typical example of a lymph node is our tonsils. The lymph nodes serve as filters where bacteria and other materials are sorted out making the lymph fluid that flows through them clean again. Thus is the function of our tonsils as one of the lymph nodes.
After filtration, there must be an area in the body where wastes are to be stored before their disposal. These areas would be the tonsil crevices where they are gathered together and stored. Normally, these wastes will be disposed of through the feces or the oral cavity. However, when there is overproduction of these wastes, the tonsils become overworked and will sometimes swell up. Eventually, the “garbage” piles up and later harden. After they calcify, they get stuck in the crevices of the tonsils and keep on accumulating more waste. Later, these develop and form tonsil stones and will produce a foul odor just like garbage.
An individual thus get tonsil stones because of the overproduction of dead skin cells and bacteria. Hence there is really a need to practice good oral habits because this happens when a person has poor oral hygiene such as not brushing and flossing the teeth daily. When the oral cavity is not clean enough, this may become favorable for the growth of bacteria which is the root cause of the formation of tonsil stones. Although there are other theories that support their growth, they differ from one another and the causes vary for different persons. But no matter what the cause, the treatments are still the same.