Vitamin C

Located at the back of the throat are glandular structures called tonsils. This organ functions as a mechanism that helps the body avoid infections, whether viral or bacterial; from getting through the nasal and mouth area. Most physicians are of the same opinion that this form an integral part of the immune system originally designed to function as such. This body part can be useless if it doesn’t work where it is intended. The tonsils are made up of body tissues which contains lymphocytes. These white blood cells help prevent infections by fighting it. They accomplish the job by trapping the viral and bacterial materials causing the infection.

The problem most associated to tonsils is the likelihood of accumulating foreign objects like mucus occurring while experiencing post nasal drip and dead cells in the crypts, the little pockets of the tonsils. These materials will later harden and form white calcified material called tonsillolith or tonsil stones. These stones are similar to kidney stones since they can be painful and are common in men. Tonsil stones though, can affect persons of any age as long as their tonsils are still intact.

Usually, the tonsil stones or calcified formations are very tiny in size. However, there are rare cases where they can develop into the size of up to one inch which will then cause a lot of problems like severe discomfort and pain. In fact, the stones can only be detected when X-rays or a CT scan is used in some cases. Some dental professionals even make the mistake of identifying the stones as leftover food particles giving them more allowances for growth.

The symptoms experienced when having tonsil stones include foul breath that can become severe and can even lead to vomiting and nausea. The bad breath can still be harsh after the use of mouthwash and chewing gum and even after sucking mints. This is because of the effects of the stones which prevent the ingredients to perform the job of curing bad breath for which these were intended. Other symptoms of the condition include difficulty of swallowing, pain, and sore throat.

There is no known cure yet for the stones, but there are some tonsil stone treatments that are utilized by most people with this condition. One tonsil stones treatment that prevents the stones from forming is the removal by means of surgery. However, this can be accomplished at home with relative ease with the use of a water pick or cotton swab. The swab can loosen the stones while the water pick can remove the stones using strong pressure. Salt water gargle can ease the discomfort and pain and can also loosen the stones. Antibiotics help fight the infection but cannot remove the stones.

Tags: tonsil stones, tonsil stones treatment, tonsillolith