tonsillolith/tonsil stones???

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I've experienced these things almost as long as I can remember; at the very least, I've had them for 10 years. I had a long history of severe acid reflux disease and used to think these things came from my stomach. I'm glad to hear that all of your experiences are like a mirror to my experience. They never hurt, but they smell horrendous. I usually have about 3 a week. I've been worried that they're some kind of strange infection; needless to say I'm very relieved to have found this thread. I think I'll pursue my doctor's opinion; I've tried to bring them up to him in the past, but I swear when I get to the office, I've either dislodged/swallowed them without knowing of they've come out with a cough. I think he thought I was making it up... it's like somehow they KNOW and don't want to get caught:laugh:. They seem to have become more frequent over the last two years since I stopped taking Zantac but come to think of it, I've been relatively clear of nose and throat infections over that time. No idea if there's any correlation between their prevalence and my bettered health, but like a true man I'd rather sacrifice these little throat guardians for the sake of having better breath. Peace :)
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I too have been dealing with these for a long long time. I thought it was from smoking, but still get them now that I am a non-smoker.

I was curious to know how people were able to bring them to a doctor. I hacked one up before work one day and put it in a napkin in the glove box. When I was done with work, I checked on it and the stupid thing was all dried up. I don't really feel the need to bring one to anyone now that I know what they are, just curious.

I am curious about the sore throat issue though. If these are just food particles along with some bacteria, why does it make the throat hurt. I did get a swab once and it came back negative for strep. Are other bacteria also tested. Could this be the cause of the soreness?
 
These have NEVER caused me any pain; only the minor irritation of feeling something out of place in my throat that shouldn’t be there.
 
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I barely remember hacking these things up earlier in my youth, I seem to recall some fairly early experiences - once or twice - 6 - 10 years old and a few times in my teens, and maybe a few in my 20's & 30's - I am now 45 and 4 or 5 years ago they would only be occasional - few times a year - and in the last 3 - 4 years they have become more and more frequent - but with different time intervals = Monthly / weekly

Up until 2 years ago I thought I had lung cancer and I was caughing up pieces of bad lung tissue - I'm a long time cigarette smoker ! I did not want to know!

I finally fuigured out exactly where they were coming from and so I googled "tonsil white smelly chunks" and found other sites and receintly this one.

I have the small to medium size / white to yellow / and VERY STUBBORN variation - sometimes only one, pencil eraser size / sometimes with a few smaller ones behind.

I do know the tonsils are a part of the bodies immune defense - both viral and bacterial - as I too, also get the ear, throat, gland alert just prior to an evacuation of a rock. As the episodes have become more frequent, I have felt worse on a dialy basis. My smoking is definately a contributor to my health, but my ears, neck, throat, etc. are most affected - mostly my left side - which is the side my rocks arrive from. I also have had some tooth decay and removal, mainly on the left side, and this has coencided with the rest of my symptoms.

I suggest that the rocks are from the tonsils doing there job and ridding the body of "waste" from several different sources, and, as the inner body - ear, throat, etc. are biologically connected, they feel the effects of the waste management program going on. All of us have different sizes of crypts and that is probably why not all people have "the backed up rock syndrome" - they are the lucky ones that get an / even, un-noticed discharge of the waste.

Just my opinion - I am not trying to give advice or be a Doc.
 
Hello all, i am new here and have found this thread very helpful. I am a sufferer of bad breath and have looked high and low for a cause and cure. heres my story, id appreciate any help.

a few days ago, i coughed up something from my throat that was white and slimey and looked similar to a small grain of oatmeal. i thought it was a piece of food, but having heard of tonsil stones before i broke the thing open and inside was a a hardened powdery looking substance. before opened it up, it didnt really smell much but when i did, i could smell it, though it wasnt as strong as i mightve thought. i am still uncertain that it was a tonsil stone, but i have been trying to find the cause of my bad breath for years and this would probably be a big factor. I am 27 years old and have never noticed any tonsil stones before. any advice as to whether or not this was one?

after this incident i have checked forums such as these and read about people seeing them in the mirror and removing them so i took a flashlight and a mirror, but i dont see any tonsil stones or anything.. i tried poking around a little with a q-tip but still no luck. would these things be in plain sight with a mirror and flashlight or do i have to look deeper?

Thank you very much for any help/info
 
anyone?

and yeah another one came out the other day and im pretty certain im dealing with tonsil stones. so basically, why is it that i cant see them? any pointers in spotting them/removing them?
 
I have read all the medical info I could find, and other sites like this one - there is not much medical info that I can find, and all of us sufferers have different opinions and experiences - but similar results.

The darn things are either coming from mouth (external) sources, like food, bacteria or etc. getting pressed, pushed or caught in the "crypts" or folds going from the mouth into the tonsil fold and "rotting" and then reversing back out after the body reacts to this and when it reaches a certain size or cycle.

OR -

The tonsils are ridding the body of natural body waste (internal) bacteria and some people, like us, are experiencing the effects of the bacteria ridding process in "clumps" instead of a small, almost un-noticeable "stream" of - I would think liquid or extremely small particals.

I sometimes get unusual small swelling in my throat glands or unusual ear "popping" itchy feelings just prior to a fairly large stone - USUALLY I can not see anything right away but then all at once I can see a small "corner" of a stone in my (always - left) crypt and it progressively works it way out - I usually, on purpose, cough hard at the back part of my throat, a few times, and it will come lose. I have a few different "types" of stones -

Some are a single large one, like lumps bundled together, about the size of a pencil eraser.
Some are a similar, but, smaller - like above, with one or several smaller ones that follow immediately as I keep coughing.
Sometimes I get a "Oatmeal Flake" type ones at different sizes and numbers.

I have had my appendix out for about 10 years now, I have noticed alot of these stones in the last 7 years or so. ??????
 
thanks to medstudent07 (sp) who started this post---yes, amazing it's still going.

here's my 2 cents worth as far as info about me for someone who might (hopefully) want to study these things and find a true remedy, short of a tonsilectomy---which apparently is not a cure, according to at least one post I read.

so surely there are some common factors between all of us sufferers??

* i get them on my chronically swollen right tonsil and also in the back of my upper throat (ones in throat not visible, but can feel them and hack them up)
* i dont smoke, do drink red wine
* i do eat dairy (lactose free milk, however)
* i do have post nasal drip from allergies
* am generally very healthy
* i did have my appendix removed but suffered from tonsiliths before and after the appendectomy. I only mentioned this because another post mentioned a possible correlation between appendectomy and tonsiliths. In my case at least, it doesn't seem to be a factor
*rinsing with hydrogen peroxide doesn't seem to prevent them, from my experience. this makes me think the post nasal drip is a factor in their forming since it occurs no matter how clean I keep my mouth/tongue

wish there was some rinse/gargle that would dissolve or loosen these things so as to keep them cleared out of my throat/mouth on a regular basis. the ones I have seem to be "glued" to my tonsil and/or whatever crevice in my throat they cling to. Hyd perox or mouthwash rinses alone dont seem to dislodge them in any way, and i can only stick my finger so far down my throat...
 
I googled "tonsil pocket" and here I am.

Today, while looking in my 7 y/o son's mouth, I noticed what looked like the top of a molar protruding from his left tonsil. For his size, it is quite large, being about the size of an actual molar. I didn't touch it, I am too cautious for that, but did show my mother and husband.

Finding this thread was wonderful because I am sure that is what he is suffering from. I can't wait to take him to the Dr. and have him checked out and figure the next course of action.

A few things I wanted to note:

- my daughter has huge (I mean HUGE) tonsils and has since I can remember. Oddly enough, I've never seen one of these in her mouth. From the posts I've read (and I've read every post), it seems that the deep crypts go hand-in-hand with larger tonsils. Odd.

- my son's breath has started smelling fairly foul lately and I even mentioned it to my husband the other day. Again, my daughter has had horrible breath for the last few years. Yet, they both have great teeth, no cavities, and brush and floss regularly. I'm beginning to think my daughter does have these (from the symptoms), I may just not have noticed it.

- My son is experiencing no pain at all, but I did notice the tissue is a bit inflamed surrounding the stone.

- My husband used to get stones in his salivary glands a few times a year. After a while, they would go away on their own. A few years back, he had to have one removed (they said it was abnormally large) and was told if it happened again, they would remove the actual gland. I wonder if this is related in any way. My husband also had his tonsils removed as a child, I'll have to find out why.

Anyway, I just had to register to put in my 2 cents and thank everyone for being so open and (brutally) honest. I hope that, in the next few years, my skin stops crawling, ha ha.

Oh, side note, I remember a friend of mine 'popping' these out of her tonsils too. I think I'll wrote her an e-mail...
 
If you're passing by and discovered this thread through a search engine, here's a little FYI. It's against SDN's Terms of Service to solicit/provide medical advice here on SDN. Advice ranges from "what's this white lump in the back of my throat?" to "how do i get rid of them?"

I say this not because it's against SDN's terms of service agreement to ask for medical advice, but because it is dangerous. The internet is not a place a reference tool for self-diagnosis and treatment planning. Please consult with your doctor with any questions or concerns you may have.

:)
 
tinman831 said:
If you're passing by and discovered this thread through a search engine, here's a little FYI. It's against SDN's Terms of Service to solicit/provide medical advice here on SDN. Advice ranges from "what's this white lump in the back of my throat?" to "how do i get rid of them?"

I say this not because it's against SDN's terms of service agreement to ask for medical advice, but because it is dangerous. The Internet is not a place a reference tool for self-diagnosis and treatment planning. Please consult with your doctor with any questions or concerns you may have.

:)
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Yes, I know. Before I posted, I read through this entire thread and read the rules of the site. I wouldn't (as a responsible mother) ever ask random strangers on the Internet for advice (especially medical) concerning my children. The only question I did ask (where I wondered if my husband's salivary stones were connected to my son's tonsil stones) was a question directed to myself, I wasn't asking for advice. Side note - they are not related in any way whatsoever :)

I did, however, talk to my Pediatrician today who knew exactly what this condition was (she is the absolute best). She told me, again, what causes it and said there is no need to do anything serious. Her suggestion was to use saline that is sprayed through the nose. As it drips down the back of the throat, it can dislodge the stones. I'll try it because I worry, as a 7 y/o, my son will start getting teased for his bad breath (not that it's horribly bad, but I did notice a change).

I also did a bit of research into the laser 'smoothing' of the tonsils. There was a good site that said they pretty much smooth out the tonsils so that the crypts lay flat, stopping (in theory) anything from forming in them.
 
Okay ,this has now hijacked my life and I cannot stop obsessing.

After thinking more of my daughter and her symptoms, I looked in her mouth when she came home from school and... SUCCESS! I found a stone lurking on the underside of her right tonsil. I'm thinking that she has actually had these little buggers for the last 4 years or so (when I remember her breath becoming quite pungent) and we just never knew. I'm also thinking, with the extraordinary size of her tonsils, she probably has extremely deep crypts. It's left me to wonder if she has an enormous amount of stones hidden w/in her tonsils, invisible to the naked eye. This would account for the severity of her bad breath and the size of her tonsils. I plan on taking her in to see the pediatrician, along with my son, next Wednesday.

Also, about 5 minutes ago, my ecstatic son came upstairs to show me his dislodged stone. He was a little too proud of it for my tastes, but he's a kid, LOL. My son and daughter smelled it (I passed on the opportunity) and my husband also felt the hardness of it. It turned out to be the size of a deformed Skittle, if not bigger. The size of the crypt is quite large and it just looks like it is ready to form a new one (seriously, it looks like a cave on the side of his tonsil that I could stick and entire pencil eraser into).

I'm now wondering if starting school to be a Dental Hygienist is a good idea considering how much this topic is turning my stomach and making me itch, blech.
 
any tips on how to spot these things? i can never see them in my mouth
 
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My son's was VERY easy to spot. It looked bright white and was protruding from his left tonsil, right near the middle. When looking in the mirror, my son can spot his right away.

However, my daughter's was lurking on the underside of her right tonsil and I had to have her lay on her back and use my husband's high-powered flashlight to catch a glimpse. My daughter cannot see hers at all.

I've seen pics on the Internet of large, and easily visible ones, but I've also read (on this thread, I believe), that they can be naked to the eye. One person said that her tonsils were absolutely full of stones when they were removed, but she could see none of them. Another said that his tonsils (when removed) were 1/3 actual tonsil and 2/3 bacteria.
 
I jsut hocked up a tonsolith this morning. Smelled delicious. Yum.
 
when removed did u notice a difference in their breath?

Motherof2 said:
My son's was VERY easy to spot. It looked bright white and was protruding from his left tonsil, right near the middle. When looking in the mirror, my son can spot his right away.

However, my daughter's was lurking on the underside of her right tonsil and I had to have her lay on her back and use my husband's high-powered flashlight to catch a glimpse. My daughter cannot see hers at all.

I've seen pics on the Internet of large, and easily visible ones, but I've also read (on this thread, I believe), that they can be naked to the eye. One person said that her tonsils were absolutely full of stones when they were removed, but she could see none of them. Another said that his tonsils (when removed) were 1/3 actual tonsil and 2/3 bacteria.
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Dental15 said:
when removed did u notice a difference in their breath?
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I wish. The next day, I saw another one, and it's yet to come out. His breath is getting worse every day and now I'm really worrying about it. Of course, my daughter's has been awful for years so, unfortunately, I'm used to it.

When we see the doctor on Wednesday, I'm going to explore our options. I know a Tonsillectomy isn't the perfect answer, but I don't want my children to have to go through life worrying about their breath. It could easily affect their social life and careers. Plus, from what I've read, it's much easier (and less painful) when they're younger. Not to say that Tonsilloliths are cause for a Tonsillectomy, but my daughter's, and son's, tonsils cause them to be 'mouth-breathers', especially at night. They have also caused my daughter to snore and even have trouble breathing at times.
 
Hey guys! :)
I'm sorry you get these, I get them too... Very nasty...
One thing that I have read, and done myself:
When you feel like they are in there somewhere, either by smelling your breath (ewww), or feeling them in there, I can never see them... Eat some really tough bread, or salad with crutons, and usually an hour or so later they are much easier to hack up, or most of the time they just fall out.

I hope noone else suggested it, I didn't have time to read the whole thread.

Hope it works for you too!

P.S. Make sure you don't choke on the bread k!!!
 
Motherof2 said:
I wish. The next day, I saw another one, and it's yet to come out. His breath is getting worse every day and now I'm really worrying about it. Of course, my daughter's has been awful for years so, unfortunately, I'm used to it.

When we see the doctor on Wednesday, I'm going to explore our options. I know a Tonsillectomy isn't the perfect answer, but I don't want my children to have to go through life worrying about their breath. It could easily affect their social life and careers. Plus, from what I've read, it's much easier (and less painful) when they're younger. Not to say that Tonsilloliths are cause for a Tonsillectomy, but my daughter's, and son's, tonsils cause them to be 'mouth-breathers', especially at night. They have also caused my daughter to snore and even have trouble breathing at times.
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hi again, im wondering if u can smell their bad breath when they close their mouths as well? one of the things i noticed is the odor comes out of my nose as well, even if i am holding my breath.
 
Dental15 said:
hi again, im wondering if u can smell their bad breath when they close their mouths as well? one of the things i noticed is the odor comes out of my nose as well, even if i am holding my breath.
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That makes sense since it's all connected... but I'm not sure. I can smell it if they're next to when and not talking, but I haven't noticed if their mouths are open or not. I'll check it out.

My son's newest one has been in there for about 5 days now and his breath doesn't smell worse, but it does smell different with each passing day... like it's getting more and more stale. He won't let me touch it, though. I cannot wait to get that sprayer from the Dr. I am really hoping that it helps.
 
Hi!

I am a newly qualified Dentist in the UK, I have been experiencing this problem for about 10 years. Usually i get the smelly white lumps, but on a couple of occsions I have produced dark calcified stones which smelled much much worse!! And it is true, you cant help but have a sniff!!

I know my brother experiences this too, and i have had one other friend comment that he experiences it.

I looked it up in an ENT book when I was a student, found a description of the problem but no diagnosis. I have also seen tonsil stones on OPT radiographs at Dental school, but never put the two together until i produced a stone myself.

I only came across the term "tonsillolith" when I referred a patient to Oral Medicine. She was concerned about a chronic sore throat and swelling, and had seen her GP who gave he antibiotics which had no effect. I referred to Oral Med who then referred on to ENT who made the diagnosis of Tonsillolith.

I use the technique of pushing up against the side of the tonsil with a clean finger, every couple of days, this seems to prevent a huge build up, and i rinse with salt water. I am reassured that i have good breath by both my fiance and my brother (who really would tell me if there was a problem!!)

Its reassuring to know I am not freakish and this apparently is quite common.
Also on examination with a torch, my tonsils are much larger than most tonsils that i see, I wonder if this is relevent? I also had my adenoids removed when i was about 6 years old as they were blocking my eustachian tube and i had hearing problems.

Interesting thread.
 
I am a 25 yr old mother of two. I recently had a son 7 mo ago. I don't recall ever having these tonsil stones before about a month ago. Coincidentally, I also started drinking coffee then too (when son was born). Anyway, when they get real big, or numerous, I can smell them when I close my mouth, that's when I know they are bad. I don't usually see them, unless my tonsils are inflamed by my poking and prodding at them. Lately I have noticed my crypts are just humongous gaping holes, like a honeycomb. I looked at my husbands tonsils, and they are almost non-existent. Don't look too closely in mine, or you may be sucked in like ants into a vacuum cleaner. Lol. Seriously though, they are gaping, huge holes. I think mine are big enough to allow food and crap to fall in, and I notice them (stones) the most when I drink coffee. I think it may have something to do with the half & half. I read somewhere, that the stones are buildups of calcium, bacteria, food, mucous, and other random brick-a-brack.

So anyway, I gargle with salt water to keep them in check. Someone somewhere said to shoot salt water at the crypts with an eye dropper, it sort of worked until I threw up, but if you can stand it, try it.

I Straightened out a bobbypin and poked around without much success.
(I can stick it into a hole pretty far, though I don't recommend it)

When I first started messing with them, the only way I could get them to come out, was by brushing my tonsils when I brush my teeth. It made the tonsils sore, but I hacked up a whole bunch of stones (like 10).

Gargling with salt water helps loosen them up, after a few minutes (or even longer), they start to come out.

I hope I didn't forget anything. Hope this helps someone.

I am going to try to take a picture of my tonsils for next post.
 
Alrighty, I took my son in to the pediatrician last Wednesday and here's the update:

She gave me the sprayer which I fill with 6 oz. of warm water, 1/4 tsp. salt and a pinch of baking soda. When inserted into one nostril (barely), you squeeze out slowly ,and steadily, the solution - 3 oz. into each nostril. It should either run down the back of your throat or, in both of my kids' case, it streams out the other nostril. It's actually quite comical and neither of them mind when my husband and I have to administer their daily 'doses'. Sadly, since it's coming out of the other nostrils, I doubt it's helping the tonsils; barely any actually comes out of their mouth at all. So far, no good. Sad.

My doctor also said that my daughter will most likely go to the ENT to get her tonsils looked at and probably taken out. I know it's surgery and I am scared, but I am also SO excited for her. Hopefully, it will fix this problem (along with her other tonsil-related problems) and she won't have to worry about her awful breath anymore. YEA! She goes to the Ped in 3 weeks, then the ENT. I'll update on how it goes.

Also, my son's stone, the one that's been in his mouth for a couple of weeks now, is not budging. I think it's getting bigger too because it is weighing down on the 'bottom' of the crypt,; if that makes sense. His breath just smells old and stale. I still hesitate to even use the waterpik, though. I don't know how people poke these out with toothpicks, q-tips, needles, etc. That makes my stomach turn; yikes! I would be terrified to attempt that on my son.
 
I was once told that I am a carrier for strep throat and that these tonsilliths appeared whenever the strep came out of dormancy and became actively contagious in me. When I was young I got strep throat quite often (more than most people), at least once or twice a year. Very painful! Those white things on my tonsils were always the first sign.

Then suddenly, about 18 years ago I got the white things and only a mild sore throat and then it was gone BUT family members came down with strep throat. I know strep throat is highly contagious but I never seemed to get it anymore - its been over 18 years. I was told that, in exchange for being a carrier, the strep wouldn't give me the painful sore throat and initial fever and that seems to have proven true.

Do you guys ever get strep throat? Do you also seem to be immune to it?
 
I got a pretty good picture of my tonsils I think.
The picture was taken after removing 13 stones of varying size.
They looked just as they do now, I couldn't see any visible stones.
I tried the eye dropper again, this time poking the end of the dropper
just inside the hole/crypt and flushing it out, also known as irrigating.
As the water was streaming out, along came two larger stones. About
the size of a mini M&M.
Anyway, in the picture, the largest crypts are at the top of my tonsils.
The smaller honeycomb looking ones produce the smaller stones.

100_1566.jpg


100_1567.jpg
 
iono1 said:
I was once told that I am a carrier for strep throat and that these tonsilliths appeared whenever the strep came out of dormancy and became actively contagious in me. When I was young I got strep throat quite often (more than most people), at least once or twice a year. Very painful! Those white things on my tonsils were always the first sign.

Then suddenly, about 18 years ago I got the white things and only a mild sore throat and then it was gone BUT family members came down with strep throat. I know strep throat is highly contagious but I never seemed to get it anymore - its been over 18 years. I was told that, in exchange for being a carrier, the strep wouldn't give me the painful sore throat and initial fever and that seems to have proven true.

Do you guys ever get strep throat? Do you also seem to be immune to it?
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I know I'm not a doctor and I hope this doesn't fall under the umbrella of 'advice' but the tonsilloliths have nothing to do with Strep throat, nor are they 'on' the tonsils. They are caused by mucous, white blood cells, etc. and are formed in the crypts of your tonsils, not unlike pearls. I think you're talking about the white sores that you would get when you get Strep Throat, but it's not the same thing.

Neither my son, or daughter have ever had Strep Throat. I do know many who have, though, and they've told me they've never experienced Tonsilloliths before.
 
As a matter of fact I just removed on today. What makes is worse I think I occasionally swallow them but not completely so if feels lodged in my throat.

I've been removing them for over 6 years now. I went to my doctor when I was younger and I tried to explain it to him but he had no idea what I was talking about. They stopped for a while but they're back. Everytime I get them I just clean my fingers and take care of the problem back there.

For a long time I actually thought it was like some kind of hardened pus.... now I know the name of these little things. (Oh yeah, I never try to smell them :eek:)
 
So, my son is now on his third (that I know of). He'll have one for a week, it'll come out, 2-3 days will pass and he'll have another.

They smell like death. So old, musty and stale.

Can't wait to take in my daughter to the ENT.
 
So, I'm sure his intentions were good, but my husband tried to remove our children's tonsilloliths...

My daughter finally had a visible one that he easily removed. The next day, she spit out 4 more on her own. The one in front must have been blocking the others. All were fairly small.

When he tried to remove my son's, I think he broke it in half because his breath us kicking - YUCK. Plus, I can still see a piece in the back of the crypt. Well, it may not be the back, but as far back as I can see.

My daughter still has some in other crypts but, so far, my son's have only been coming out of the same crypt each time.
 
TheDrewYouKnew said:
Have a tonsillectomy. Problem solved.
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Actually, no. Sometimes, in a small minority, they don't go away after a Tonsillectomy.

Also, I don't take surgery lightly, especially when dealing with my children.

Back OT - I got a huge one out of my daughter's mouth today. I looked yesterday and there was nothing at all, but the one that came out was easily the size of a flattened Skittle and she's only 8! Yuck. And again, it was from another/different crypt.

We also got what I thought was the rest of my son's out, but no. It keeps on breaking and after an hour, we'll see another piece lodged deep within. And again, same crypt.

It is so disgusting I wish it would just stop!

We've also stopped using the nasal sprayer because the water always shoots out of the other nostril instead of running down the back of the throat and out of the mouth *sigh*
 
Then get used to this fun process that you will pass on to them in a few years. The surgery is a simple and safe procedure performed daily by all ENTs. To act like it's a tough decision is silly, especially being that they are children. Do you really think it is safer and healthier to keep picking at their throats indefinitely?!

Motherof2 said:
Actually, no. Sometimes, in a small minority, they don't go away after a Tonsillectomy.

Also, I don't take surgery lightly, especially when dealing with my children.

Back OT - I got a huge one out of my daughter's mouth today. I looked yesterday and there was nothing at all, but the one that came out was easily the size of a flattened Skittle and she's only 8! Yuck. And again, it was from another/different crypt.

We also got what I thought was the rest of my son's out, but no. It keeps on breaking and after an hour, we'll see another piece lodged deep within. And again, same crypt.

It is so disgusting I wish it would just stop!

We've also stopped using the nasal sprayer because the water always shoots out of the other nostril instead of running down the back of the throat and out of the mouth *sigh*
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TheDrewYouKnew said:
Then get used to this fun process that you will pass on to them in a few years. The surgery is a simple and safe procedure performed daily by all ENTs. To act like it's a tough decision is silly, especially being that they are children. Do you really think it is safer and healthier to keep picking at their throats indefinitely?!
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I never said I was against the surgery. Actually, if you'd read my previous posts, you would have seen that I had decided a Tonsillectomy was the best thing for my daughter since she has had other tonsil related problems. As for my son, I am debating surgery. I simply feel it's irresponsible to act as though surgery on children is "no big deal". Any time a child is put under anesthesia and operated on, it's a big deal. I can only assume you do not have any children and are looking at this from a rational (I guess...) and strictly medical viewpoint. To say my thoughts and fears are "silly" is beyond rude. I've dealt with MANY, MANY medical problems with my children (son, to be specific) and I worry. Any mother that doesn't isn't a very good mother imo.

And yes, I do think it is safer to use a gentle water pick and/or a saline filled nasal wash to combat their stones. To say surgery is safer than that is ludicrous.

That being said, I'll see the ped. in 2 weeks and make plans for my daughter's surgery - yikes!
 
TheDrewYouKnew said:
Then get used to this fun process that you will pass on to them in a few years. The surgery is a simple and safe procedure performed daily by all ENTs. To act like it's a tough decision is silly, especially being that they are children. Do you really think it is safer and healthier to keep picking at their throats indefinitely?!
Click to expand...

isnt it said that a tonsilectomy isnt the solution to this problem?
 
I have halitosis for as long as I can remember. I have excellent oral hygiene. I brush three times a day, floss daily, use a tongue scraper everytime I brush, and gargle when I wake up and before I go to bed. I also have a waterpik to make sure my flossing doesn't miss anything. :(

As you can imagine, this ridiculous breath has taken a huge toll on my self-esteem. People have made subtle comments, or back away as I talked, its just been really hard, especially being intimate with someone.

So I've bought EVERY "breath therapy" known to mankind. I have spent sooooooooo much money, and yet, nothing.:confused::confused::confused::confused:

So I am planning on getting them out this summer. Even if it doesn't work, it's still worth a shot. I'm willing to take that risk, because this true disease is socially crippling.


PLUS, who wants a doctor with rank breath?? I don't think I would be seeing any patients from referrals.:laugh:
 
I have had these for a while and what I have found helpful to avoid getting them is not eating about 2 hours before I go to sleep. Also what I tend to do is brush my tongue, especially the back of my tongue the area closer to my tonsils and ever since the frequency of my tonsil stones had decreased dramatically.
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TonsillolithLaser resurfacing seems to work. I doubt they are coming from the ear, but the nerve endings in that area may make it feel that way. There is alot of overlap - for example, one of the most common reasons for chronic cough is GERD.
 
Okay, so I now know exactly how to remove these buggers - WOW!

I had tried the waterpik and had not been very impressed. My problem, I now see, is that I was merely aiming the stream at the exposed bit of stone while it was inside the crypt. Nope. This didn't work so well. Yesterday, I had the idea to place the very tip of the waterpik in the crypt, then blast the water. Oh...my...God up in Heaven. Instantaneous stones! About 8 of varied sizes flew out into my son's mouth, he then spit them into the sink. Empty, right? Not so much. I did this 6 more times, each time yielding 5-7 stones. All totalling about 40-45 stones. I knew his crypt was large, but it must be at least an inch deep! I couldn't believe the amount that was in there, insane.

And, oh the smell in the bathroom... yikes.

Anyhoo, son is stone-free at the moment and his breath is amazingly better.
 
This is from my personal experience of dealing with these for years!

Keep using the water pik approximately 1 to 2 times a week depending on your results. You can also mix mouthwash 1:1 with water and use a 10 ml syringe with a bent tip to blast into the crypts. The trick is to continue to wash out the crypts to prevent collection of the material that eventually coalesces into stones. This preventive measure has changed my life.

Good luck folks!
 
nanhol510 said:
This is from my personal experience of dealing with these for years!

Keep using the water pik approximately 1 to 2 times a week depending on your results. You can also mix mouthwash 1:1 with water and use a 10 ml syringe with a bent tip to blast into the crypts. The trick is to continue to wash out the crypts to prevent collection of the material that eventually coalesces into stones. This preventive measure has changed my life.

Good luck folks!
Click to expand...

This is what I'm doing with my son. Except I'm adding a bit of salt instead of mouthwash. Also, I want to add that I've read if you do use mouthwash, make sure it's sugar-free :thumbup:
 
I found a tonsilolith the other day (my first). I just went to some friends in oral surgery. They told me to gargle with some benzacaine, then they kept nudging it with a long qtip until I felt in around by buccal vestibule. Mine was about 6mm in diameter (ball shaped). Looking back I maybe could have got it out with a longer cotton pliers (mine was in the tonsilar crypt but my crypts arent that deep.
 
I am excited to report that after smelling every spice in my spice cabinet, I found an aromatic combination that induced a hacking up of my tonsillolith: cumin, lemon pepper, chili powder, and thyme. I took a great big whiff, but who knows if it will work next time...never hurts to try...
 
Ok, so I have dealt with the same issues as everyone here, but I have never removed any solid object from my tonsils. I am dealing with this right now and haven't felt good for about a week. Malaise, sore throat etc. I tryed swabing the white patch on my right tonsil tonight with a hyd. peroxide soaked qtip. That just made it mad. Frustrated I tryed to slightly press against it with the back end of a floss pick. Nothin. I tryed both ends of a tooth brush next. End result is now the "white patch/s" is about twice as big and the tonsil is irritated. I have given up for tonight as I know I have already risked getting it more infected. I agree with everyone about the inner ear itching along with sinus issues. We all seem to have the same symptoms.

Anyone else fail to actually ever dislodge anything??????
 
One of our oral path profs lectured on these, actually. He said that tonsils are lined with epithelium and the epithelium is involuted. When presented with a microbial challenge, the lymphoid tissue swells, and can enlarge these involutions into crypts. Epithelium naturally sheds keratin but when this natural shedding occurs in one of these crypts, it isn't swallowed as the other keratin is so it accumulates and forms "a yellowish white cheesy ball".

He didn't go into it more than that, but I imagine other debris and bacteria accumulate in these keratin balls as well, producing the lovely smell you all speak of.
:p
 
They tend to stick and then stink :laugh:
 
Yes, I too have suffered for ages with this annoying condition and I too was thankful to discover that so many share my pain. I'd seen people absent-mindedly rubbing their ears the way I do when a lith decides to come and peek out, ages before I realised that they were there. Since then I found that when my ears/throat itch, it's time to go find a mirror.

At first it was a pain to get them out, but as I've learned what I can poke and prod without causing bleeding, it's become a matter of moments. And since reading this thread, I've learned of a water pik - never seen it in South Africa - but I'll see what I can find.

Finally I know what the little buggers are - whenever I mentioned them to my doctor he just gave me a blank look (I think he thought I was being funny) and nooo-one I've ever asked has encountered them.

Some things I've found that while thankfully my breath is not off (I went and asked my parents while reading this thread) in the mornings my mouth tastes bad. And I'd say my dental care is fairly good. This has increased with the raised incidence of the liths that I've been experiencing, fortunately only about 1 or 2 at a time (not double-digit figures like some - horrors). In addition, over the past year or so my Lnn. submandibularis areas bilaterally (well, at least that's where they would be in a dog) have been tender on and off. I always thought that I just getting flu, but think differently now!

And! my palatine tonsils are getting redder and larger! This does not bode well... Perphaps I'm being too traumatic when removing them - I follow the press-gently-with-finger-until-they-pop-out technique. It would be nice if they stopped forming long enough for the inflammation to go down and/or infection to be controlled. And, yes I did have tonsillitis frequently as a tot and whenever I get colds/flu a severe and painful throat infection.

I've noticed that some people get theirs in different areas: lingual, palatine etc, which accounts for liths present in those that had tonsillectomies as kids. It seems that if you're going to have them out, you need to make sure they take the guilty culprites.

It's nice to know that there are people out there who experience Exactly The Same Problems as I do.:) Hopefully there's someone working on their PhD in this right now. And this condition brought me to this cool site = silver-lining.

Thanks,

P.S I smell and break them apart too.
 
As I read this entire posting and each thread, I notice a theme of folks who like to "play" with their stones. A lot of them actually like the smell of the stinky little things. I guess it's like a fart, what was it that Fat Bastard said on Austin Powers..."everyone likes their own brand!"

LOL! I get them too, but I don't like them, nor do I like playing with them and honestly, they are nasty little buggers that annoy the heck outta me!!!

Thanks for this posting!
 
I need an answer, please?

because my doctor told me that, my tonsils needed to remove a.s.a.p. because of my non stop tonsillitis since I was young, And my mother was alarmed about it. thats why we decided to remove my tonsils. And the thing is I never said to my doctor that I have this nasty little "tonsils stones" because I'm very shy of it. -_-

so here's my question: is my "tonsils stones" will be gone if my tonsils was
removed?

please? if anyone knows please reply or experienced like this?
I need answer please?
Thank you...
 
this is one nasty thread - i personally would have my tonsils removed immediately
 
Motherof2 said:
Okay, so I now know exactly how to remove these buggers - WOW!

I had tried the waterpik and had not been very impressed. My problem, I now see, is that I was merely aiming the stream at the exposed bit of stone while it was inside the crypt. Nope. This didn't work so well. Yesterday, I had the idea to place the very tip of the waterpik in the crypt, then blast the water. Oh...my...God up in Heaven. Instantaneous stones! About 8 of varied sizes flew out into my son's mouth, he then spit them into the sink. Empty, right? Not so much. I did this 6 more times, each time yielding 5-7 stones. All totalling about 40-45 stones. I knew his crypt was large, but it must be at least an inch deep! I couldn't believe the amount that was in there, insane.

And, oh the smell in the bathroom... yikes.

Anyhoo, son is stone-free at the moment and his breath is amazingly better.
Click to expand...

wow, congratulations on figuring this out as i know it was really bothering you. has his breath kept up as youve been doing this? i bought a water pik myself but the water was a lot stronger than i expected. im not sure it works and one of the handful of times i used it resulted in bleeding, so i havent used it much. now that i see u shoot it directly into the crypt, i hope to do the same. if only i could figure out where the crypt is! can u see the crypts while looking into your mouth? or would someone else have to look down into your mouth?
 
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