Skin Alive And Well

There are a lot of causes why an individual can have bad breath like poor oral hygiene, gum diseases, smoking, intestinal disorders, dry mouth, and many more. Few people are aware of the fact that this can also be caused by tonsillolith or tonsil stone. These stones are formed when bacteria and food debris folds in and around the tonsil area. These will later form into whitish or cream-colored calcified mass that slowly develops in size.

The main reason why people get tonsil stones is because of the practice of poor dental hygiene. There is a need to have regular dental checkups so that the likely presence of such stones can immediately be treated. However, most tonsil stones are harmless except in severe cases. They don’t cause discomfort unless these become too large in size but if often ignored, allow the person to suffer from bad breath. Regular visits to your physician when you feel throat discomforts may lead to the detection of such stones.

It is not that difficult to treat tonsil stones when you want to. You can even do it at home but you need to consult your physician in extreme cases. The stones can simply be dislodged and forced out easily and gently with the use of your toothbrush. Since these stones consist of calciferous material, these can be dissolved with the use of vinegar. Gargle vinegar diluted with water for about 4 to 5 times. Another effective substitute is lemon juice instead of vinegar.

The tonsil stones can also be extricated with the use of a clean cotton swab or Q-tip. However, care should be taken in keeping the fingers and hands clean especially when these are used in poking the stones. The surface of the tonsils around the stone must be pressed upwards and squeezed. This process is repeated until the stone is fully exposed but this must be accomplished with extreme caution. The stone will not be difficult to remove by this time and depending on its size, can be easily sucked away with the use of a medicine dropper.

When an individual gets the stones too frequently, it is advised that the surface of the tonsils be smoothened out so that the places or crevices where tonsils grow are removed. This method is known as laser cryptolysis which takes only about half an hour to complete and the individual does not need to be hospitalized. After the removal, the individual is advised to practice good oral hygiene to avoid getting the tonsil stones again.

Tags: tonsil stones, tonsillolith