Tonsil Stones: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention

Chronic bad breath, also known as halitosis, is an embarrassing condition. Often caused by neglectful dental care, much of the time it’s easily corrected with a solid cleaning at the dentist and getting back on top of your at-home oral hygiene routine.

But at some point, the bacteria in your mouth may start to affect your tonsils, causing tonsil stones, which are one of the usual suspects for chronic bad breath. And these gross little lumps are a bit harder to get rid of than that food you forgot to floss out of your teeth last night.

What Causes Tonsil Stones?

Tonsil stones are small, hard white or yellow lumps that appear on your tonsils. They form when debris gets stuck and then calcifies – hence the name tonsil stones. They aren’t dangerous to your health, but they often cause chronic bad breath and a sore throat.

Your tonsils are made of lymph tissue, which means they’re covered in small holes that are akin to pores on your skin. Your tonsils help prevent harmful bacterias in the mouth from entering the rest of your body via your throat. Tonsil stones form when debris gets trapped in those little pores and can’t escape, then gets buried in calcium deposits.

To some extent, very small tonsil stones just happen; your tonsils are supposed to trap the gross stuff from your mouth so it doesn’t go down your throat. But these are tiny, bear no symptoms, and often dislodge on their own without you ever knowing they existed. But larger tonsil stones are caused by poor dental care or repeated bouts of tonsillitis.

Signs & Symptoms of Tonsil Stones

Like we said, some tonsil stones you’ll never notice. But there are symptoms to look out for that indicate you need to remove them purposefully, either at-home or at your dentist’s office:

• Swollen tonsils and glands (signs of infection)
• Difficulty swallowing
• Chronic bad breath (halitosis)
• Sore throat
• Cough
• Hard, white debris in mouth
• Bad taste in the mouth regardless of brushing and mouthwash
• Ear pain (tonsil stones can form anywhere on the tonsils)

Your dentist can often tell if you have tonsil stones immediately upon looking in your mouth. But if they’re hiding out of sight, a CT scan may be necessary to confirm or rule them out as what’s causing your bad breath.

What Do I Do About My Tonsil Stones?

Much of the time, you can dislodge tonsil stones at home. However, you’ve got to be careful about it – the tissues in your throat are delicate. Never just leave tonsil stones; the more they build up, the more likely they are to foster infection.

At-home removal of small tonsil stones:

• Some people pick their tonsil stones out if they can see/feel them.
• You can try gently pressing a cotton swab around the stone to loosen/dislodge it. It’s better to bring the stone forward than trying to dig behind it, since it sits in a pit.
• Swish with warm salt water. Sometimes you’ll have to swish pretty aggressively to dislodge them. Gargling and spitting prevents the stones from going down your throat once they come loose.
• Use a waterpic at the back of your throat.

In-office removal for large tonsil stones:

• Your dentist might prescribe antibiotics, which will stop infection, but won’t address the underlying cause of your tonsil stones.
• If your tonsils are chronically problematic, a tonsillectomy will relieve those problems and make it impossible to develop tonsil stones, because there are no tonsils for stuff to get stuck in!
• Some larger, entrenched tonsil stones require your dentist to remove them surgically.
• Cryptolisis treatments. You know how scarred skin doesn’t have any pores? It’s the same thing with tonsils. Cryptolisis uses a laser to scar the surface of your tonsils, eliminating the tiny pits debris gets stuck into. It lessens the likelihood of tonsil stones, but they can still form in the folds of your tonsils if the underlying cause isn’t addressed.

How to Prevent the Recurrence of Tonsil Stones

Health issues that cause chronic ear, sinus and throat infections are something you can’t help, and if that’s the underlying cause of your tonsil stones, a tonsillectomy is the best answer. But since the issue is usually debris buildup from poor dental care, simply taking proper care of your mouth can stop tonsil stones from recurring.

Proper dental care means brushing twice a day, flossing, mouthwash, and drinking lots of water every day. But proper dental care also means going to the dentist for regular cleanings, even if you don’t want to. Professional dental cleanings are more important than you might think; your dentist can often see problems coming a mile away, helping you to keep your breath fresh and your mouth healthy.