Tonsil stones, also known as tonsilloliths, are small whitish deposits that can be seen in the crypts of the tonsils. Usually, they form when small bits of food get stuck in the tonsillar crevices; the bacteria present in the oral cavity feed on and digest them until they take on the consistency of the well-known and hated foul-smelling mush. Stones are a fairly common discomfort among people who have deep tonsil crypts. Although they are routinely expelled by eating or coughing, and medications or home remedies are often useless, there are several methods you can use to remove these deposits and prevent them from returning.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Remove Stones with a Cotton Bud
Step 1. Gather the necessary materials
Gather the cotton swab and other necessary items:
- Cotton swab;
- Toothbrush;
- A mirror;
- Flashlight, a smartphone flashlight application or a lamp that you can point directly into the mouth;
- Running water.
Step 2. Brighten your throat
Open your mouth and point the light in your mouth; stand in front of a mirror so you can spot the tonsil stones.
Step 3. Contract the tonsils
Close or flex your throat muscles as you push your tongue out. Say the sound "Ahhhhhh" and contract the muscles in the back of your throat. During this action, hold your breath, as if you were to gargle with water; in doing so, you should push your tonsils out and see them better.
Step 4. Prepare the cotton swab
Wet it with running tap water to soften it and less irritate the throat. Do not place it on any surface, otherwise you risk contaminating it; keep the contact of the cotton swab to a minimum with surfaces that may be covered with germs, including your hands. When you remove the stones, shake the stick in the sink so that it does not touch any surface or rub it with a clean paper towel.
If the cotton swab accidentally comes into contact with any material, such as the sink or bathroom counter, get a new one
Step 5. Gently tease the stones with the stick
Press or prick them until they come apart and remove them from your mouth with the cotton swab.
- Proceed gently, otherwise you may cause bleeding. Although some blood is normal, you need to make sure that you minimize the bleeding. cuts or wounds could in fact become infected due to the bacteria present in the oral cavity, which are responsible for the stones.
- In case of bleeding, rinse your mouth and brush your teeth and tongue as soon as the blood stops flowing.
Step 6. Rinse with water and repeat
Do a mouth rinse and then remove the next stone. Rinsing is especially important if the saliva feels thick, which can sometimes occur after poking the throat. When the saliva starts to get slimy, drink some water to dilute it.
Step 7. Check if there are any hidden calculations
Once you have removed all the visible ones, put your thumb on the neck - under the jaw - and the index (clean!) In the mouth just behind the tonsils; then, gently try to squeeze out any remaining stones on the openings (as if you were squeezing the toothpaste tube). If you don't notice any other calculations, don't assume there aren't any more; some tonsil crypts are very deep and it is sometimes difficult to see them.
Step 8. Remove particularly stubborn stones with caution
If some don't come off using the cotton swab, they may be quite deep; in this case, you must not force them, otherwise you could cause bleeding. Use the back of the toothbrush to gently tap them until they move and then remove them with the stick or the toothbrush itself.
- If you still don't get results, you can try gargle with a mouthwash for a few days and then try again to remove the tonsilloliths.
- If that doesn't work, you need to try a water jet, and if that fails, try increasing the water pressure a little.
- Keep in mind that many people have an intense gag reflex and cannot tolerate teasing their tonsils.
Method 2 of 4: Using a Water Flosser
Step 1. Buy a water jet
You can use this tool to extract tonsil stones from cavities.
Try one out quickly before you buy it - if the spray is too hard, it could cause some damage and you shouldn't use it to remove stones
Step 2. Set the sprinkler to minimum power
Put the nozzle in your mouth, but avoid it coming into contact with the stones and turn it on while keeping the water pressure to a minimum. Direct the flow to the visible stones, holding it in place until the tonsilloliths come off.
Step 3. Help the process with a cotton swab or toothbrush
If the water flosser was able to move them, but not completely remove them, alternate use with a cotton swab or the back of the toothbrush.
Repeat the steps for each tonsil stone you see; remember to direct a gentle spray of water on the tonsils
Method 3 of 4: Gargle to Prevent Stone Formation
Step 1. Gargle with mouthwash after eating
Since stones often form after food debris has become lodged in the tonsil crypts, it is a good idea to follow this hygienic procedure after meals. Mouthwash not only improves the health of your teeth and gums, it also helps remove bits of food before they become a "feast" for the bacteria responsible for stone formation.
Make sure you use an alcohol-free mouthwash
Step 2. Rinse with warm water and salt
Add a teaspoon of salt to about 200ml of water and mix well to blend the two substances. Then gargle with this solution by tilting your head back. Salt water helps move food residues out of the tonsil crevices and at the same time helps relieve the discomfort caused by inflammation, sometimes present along with stones.
Step 3. Get an oxygenating mouthwash
Contains chlorine dioxide and natural zinc compounds. Oxygen itself is able to hinder bacterial growth, thus making the mouthwash effective for the treatment and prevention of tonsil stones.
However, it is a very aggressive product and you only have to use it once or twice a week, to avoid abusing it; then use it as a simple supplement to the rinsing routine with natural mouthwashes
Method 4 of 4: Medical Interventions
Step 1. Talk to your doctor about tonsillectomy
This is a relatively simple and effective procedure; it also carries limited risks, hospitalization is often short, and the main residual symptoms are usually some pain in the throat and minimal bleeding.
- If your doctor is concerned about your medical history, age, or other factors, they can recommend other methods.
- Keep in mind that the removal of the tonsils is recommended only in cases of particularly stubborn, recurrent or complex tonsil stones.
- You can possibly ask the doctor to take care of the removal of tonsilloliths himself, as he is perfectly capable of it, using special irrigation equipment.
Step 2. Consider a course of antibiotics if the stones are persistent or severe
To treat the stones, it is possible to take different types of antibiotics, such as penicillin or erythromycin, but know that they are not able to act on the causes of their formation which, as already mentioned, are the food residues deposited in the tonsillar fissures. Tonsilloliths could reform, not to mention that antibiotics have side effects: almost all of them kill the "good" bacteria in the mouth and intestines, the part of the bacterial flora that should help fight the microorganisms that cause the problem.
Step 3. Learn about laser treatment
It is possible to remove the tissue from which the deep tonsil pockets are generated thanks to the laser. The procedure smoothes the surface of the tonsils, so that there are no more cracks and crypts; however, be aware that this surgery is not without risk.
