Tonsil Stones Overview And My Experiences

My Experience With Tonsil Stones

Some time ago I found a white spot in my throat near the back. I did not realize it at the time but the spot was a tonsillolith. Tonsilloliths are more commonly known as a tonsil stones. Initially I assumed the tonsil stone was just a sore and perhaps I was coming down with strep throat. The strange thing was that my throat was not getting sore. I just had this odd sensation in my throat. It was more annoying than painful. I grew more concerned as time passed and the lump just got bigger and more annoying. Though I had been neglecting visiting my dentist, I made an appointment thinking he could offer information on what this annoying white spot was. I was glad to hear from him that the spot was just some "debris" and I should gargle to get rid of it. Upon arriving home I attempted this with no success. The spot remained.

For the next few weeks I tried to rid my of the menace without any luck. I finally fought the gag reflex and stuck my finger into my throat to dislodge it. My brief period of happiness lasted for about two weeks before my tonsil stones returned.

Researching tonsil stones

I decided to research the white spot online. I located a diagram with explanation. I learned the medical term for the white spot is "tonsillolith" also known as tonsil stones or tonsil rocks. Apparently it is not known for certain what causes tonsil stones. One possible cause of tonsil stones is the collection of mucous and bacteria in the tonsil crypts or tonsil pockets. Some people have deeper tonsil crypts than others and these fluids collect there forming tonsil stones. This made sense to me because I've noticed that one of my tonsil crypts is deeper than the other. This is the side that produces tonsil stones.

How to Prevent Tonsil Stones

There has been only one way I've found to prevent tonsil stones. After trying other tonsil stone home remedies and having no success, I decided to go with a product created by Doctor Harold Katz DDS. Katz specializes in bad breath remedies but addresses tonsil stones on his website as well. He has an article on tonsil stone prevention which is very informative. I am always somewhat skeptical about making online purchases but I ordered his tonsil stone kit anyway. For the first couple of weeks I was unimpressed with his tonsil stone remedy because at times, I went two or more weeks without tonsil stones without the tonsil stone kit. More time passed though and I became a firm believer in his methods. Since I started using his tonsil stone remedy, I have not experienced a single tonsil stone episode. I consider myself very fortunate because like others, I even considered removing my tonsils to prevent tonsil stones. I found a coupon code for his tonsil stone remedy. If you enter "A-TNS30" during your order, you will get the tonsil stone prevention kit for free with an order of $30.00. Otherwise, the tonsil stone kit costs about $36.00. With the code you'll be able to try his other products as well.

How to Remove Tonsil Stones

Before discovering Doctor Katz' tonsil stone remedy, I did figure out an easier way to dislodge tonsil stones than gagging yourself. I used a water pik or dental irrigator. These devices are powerful sprayers that clean between your teeth and are supposedly more effective than flossing. You will need one that is strong enough to dislodge your tonsil stones. The cheapest I've found (that works) is the Interplak Dental Water Jet I would not use any smaller water piks than this one. It is available at Amazon for about $39.00.

Your Tonsil Stones

Hopefully, by sharing my experiences with tonsil stones I have helped you in dealing with yours. I was pretty desparate when I finally figured how to 1)Remove tonsil stones and 2)Prevent tonsil stones from returning. I know desparation is not a fun feeling and I genuinely hope that you can find a way to deal with your tonsil stones if you are like I was.

guest commented on 13 Nov 2007, 20:30:25
I am so glad that I am not alone!! I thought that I was a freek or something!! I have the yellowish balls in the back of my throat. I get them about every 6 months but when I eat fast food they come sooner. I use a Q-tip or toothpick to get them out. Sometimes that makes my tonsils bleed a little. I always think that they make me have bad breath so I always have gum in my purse. Good to know that I am not all alone with this. Good luck!

guest commented on 14 Nov 2007, 12:49:58
I just recently discovered tonsil stones in my throat and I hate them! I don't want these ugly pieces of crap coming out of my throat. I haven't smelled them, I don't think mine smell. But, I am scared that I have cancer. Thanks for assuring me I probably don't! :D

guest commented on 16 Nov 2007, 14:12:19
do tonsils stones sometimes feel like if you swallow hard enough u can get it to gp down your throat? or like they move from one side to the other or even sit in the middle way back in yout throat?

guest commented on 16 Nov 2007, 14:12:21
do tonsils stones sometimes feel like if you swallow hard enough u can get it to gp down your throat? or like they move from one side to the other or even sit in the middle way back in yout throat?

guest commented on 19 Nov 2007, 10:11:40
I get tonsil stones, and its horrible because I feel like my breath is bad, and I hate talking to people. I tried to gargle with peroxide, but that didn't help. I'm going to get a tongue scraper asap. Also, I heard putting vaseline under your tongue stops bad breath...is that true? I wanted to get my tonsils out, but I'm pregnant, and I didn't want to be under any kind of medication at all...

guest commented on 26 Nov 2007, 16:50:38
Taking a Qtip and rubbing it over top of the tonsil stone seems to dislodge the stone for me.

guest commented on 30 Nov 2007, 05:06:08
I have a very strong gag reflex, and have not found a way to manually remove tonsil stones without making myself puke. Luckily, I found an alternative remedy that works for me. It is a Chinese Herbal medicine formula called Chuan Xin Lian. I take this as directed on the bottle for a few days, and the tonsil stones all fall out on their own. Many companies make this formula, I use Plum Flower brand.

guest commented on 06 Dec 2007, 19:14:34
Yes they smell foul, they are literally small balls of bacteria. I get one on each side about once a week. Call me crazy but I think they are fun to remove. I use a black head remover (by Revlon) a 4 inch long, very thin handle which has a small loop at the end. Since it is so small it won't make you gag. Anyway I just hook the loop under the stone and out it comes. You all sound like your stones are really large, mine are only the size of an apple seed. I think the best way to describe what they look like and the texture is like a cottage cheese curd.

guest commented on 06 Dec 2007, 21:41:04
thanks for the web site. i am so happy to find out that i am not the only one that suffers from this nasty little secret. my husband just thinks it's gross and doesn't understand how annoying it is. thanks for all the input, i will definetly put some of these techniques to work.

guest commented on 10 Dec 2007, 16:17:09
hey guys! Glad i'm not alone with this terriable problem...try using the thera breath products, invest in a waterpick - these rigs are perfect for using mouthwash in to, so after you blow out the stone flush it out with some mouthwash in the waterpick...i've also used a drinking straw that was difficult to bend, i cut end on like a 45 degree angle and rounded the tip slightly to scrape the buggers out with the assistance of a flashlight! Try it out! Best of luck to everyone with this terriable problem including myself!!!

guest commented on 11 Dec 2007, 08:15:00
I tried firstly cotton bud (qtips to you americans) but they were rubbish, then i tried a really long hair pin, (the closed end) and that was better but enflamed my tonsils. THEN, I bought a water pik (didn't know what one was, so I googled it and found one). Its not battery operated, you have to press a button to make the water come out manually, so you can control the flow rate and it not at all damaging. This works incredibly well, and loads of them came out the first time, from the places I couldn't reach with the hair pin, and decreasingly less ever since. That was about ten days ago and it's all much better now. Am so relived that I intervened in this way. It's miles miles better squirting them out with water (you do need to look with a torch though - would be v hard without). I also got atounge scraper from the same company. The effects of this are not so easily observed, but it was only 3 pounds and surely a good thing anyway.

guest commented on 13 Dec 2007, 12:25:26
this site is so comforting to know there are more people who get these annoying, smelly things! i have a hard time taking mine out..i usually stick my finger in there, i have one right now that i can't see but i can feel when i swallow and i can't push it out! not sure if you guys have this problem but sometimes when i take them out this dark grey substance comes out with my saliva?

guest commented on 13 Dec 2007, 12:37:25
this is a response to "Andrea" i too, have experienced flu like systems when i have stones left in there for a long time..Has any one tried the kit?

guest commented on 13 Dec 2007, 14:21:36
does anyone think if we use a water pick everyday, it will keep the stones from building up?

Diane commented on 18 Dec 2007, 07:37:28
Well, I have had tonsil stones for years. I now have had one for about 3 months that I cannot remove with a water pik, pliers, q-tips, gargling etc. What next?

guest commented on 19 Dec 2007, 16:09:57
Try using a Q-tip, dipped in a concentrated salt water solution, and press gently on and around the white spot. The stone(s) will come right out, onto the Q-tip. Repeat the process with a fresh Q-tip each time until all stones are removed, then gargle with salt water. It seems to help and it's not as harsh as using just a plain Q-tip.

guest commented on 20 Dec 2007, 13:36:45
this is a great website. i thought i was a freak. these things are annoying as hell. im glad i decided to google it.

Dusitn commented on 22 Dec 2007, 21:23:49
Apparently I have had cronic tonsil stones for the last two years but after reading this site I finaly found out what they were. I tried the water pick method for removal and it worked like a charm. And yes i have smelled those stinky little bastards, it is definitely the cause for my terrible morning breath.Thanks for the advice.

Lou commented on 24 Dec 2007, 20:53:32
The best way I've found to get these things out is by spraying some water into the tonsil with an oral syringe. A dentist or oral surgeon can give you one for FREE. It's just a plastic syringe with about a 1 1/2 inch long curved tip. I think a water pik would be too forceful and could injure your tonsils. And pushing with Q-tips, fingers, etc. always leaves stuff behind. Trust me, the syringe is the way to go.

guest commented on 27 Dec 2007, 07:37:57
I hate these stones, I've been getting them for 4 years now. My husband says I have extreamly bad breath. If one comes out another just replaces it. I always have them, and the sore throat and gagging that goes with it. The water pik tickles too much, so I've been getting them with a Q tip which works when they are sticking out far enough. I gargle with various things nothing works.

Lisa commented on 28 Dec 2007, 09:27:06
Ive had tonsil stones for years cannot get rid of them Ive notice by drinking alcohol it makes them worse. Im trying to find out if it is only me who gets soooo sick from these things? I get so nauseaus empty feeling in my stomach for days but if i eat i feel better for a hr or so, the horrible taste in my mouth tastes like metal and my skin and eyes burn and my head hurts and I cannot sleep and no matter what I take for these symptoms it does not go away I just have to wait it out for days. Does this happen to anyone else Ive been to the gastro dr and they gave me prevacid and that didnt work Ive been to the ENT specialist Dr and he tells me that im crazy that they cannot make me feel like that and maybe I need my tonsils removed? SOMEONE HELP!! Anyone have anyother ideas the only thing that make me feel better is eating and brushing my teeth but it does not last very long

guest commented on 01 Jan 2008, 11:34:22
I have had tonsil stones for a few years, always on one tonsil, and when they appear, I usually go to the doc because I'm convinced I have an infection due to the pain and the rew throat that I get along with the tonsil stones. My doc just keeps telling me that it is just mucous that the tonsils are pushing out. After reading this article, I just removed a few by brushing over them with the tip of a tongue depressor. They have no bad smell. I also have a lot of post nasal drip and routinely cough up colorful mucous. After reading some of your comments I am going to try sinus washes to see if that helps. I just don't understand why I get pain in my tonsil, the side of my neck near my jaw, and deep inside my ear. Maybe it's just the pressure of the mucous caught in there trying to get out. To the person with the lump on the neck...maybe it is a swollen gland if it is soft and tender to touch. If it is hard to touch you should see your doctor to be sure it is not a cyst. This website has been very interesting.

guest commented on 03 Jan 2008, 20:40:28
From reading most of these comments, and having a doctor describe the nasty smelling pieces of white chunks that come off my tonsils now and then, it seems the nasil drip may be the cause (or part of the cause.) I have been having sinus problems/sinus headaches over the last few months and with this winter being so dry where I live, I feel we're onto something. For a few months now, I've felt as if I may be getting a sore throat, I've even had a piece of what seemed to be tissue with a light blood tinge color to it; my teenage son also had the same thing about the same time. For the first time tonight, a piece of "stone" came out of my mouth while I was talking to my son, glad I was not in public...thanks for sharing everyone. And in the 25 Sep 07 guest comment, it's a "cotton plier", not a college plier, I'm in the dental profession and use these often, but not on my tonsils.

guest commented on 08 Jan 2008, 10:22:53
I've read all of these reviews and glad I'm not the only one who gets these. My wife also had them (coincidentally?) the same time I did, but she hasn't had them in a very long time and I still do. Ok, I've used some items that nobody has mentioned thus far, like bamboo skewers (careful, since they are sharp), and what has been most helpful, is a TURKEY BASTER, yes, a turkey baster. I found a stainless steel one with a rubber ball. It is important to find one with good suction (to test this, squeeze the ball and cover the hole with your finger... the ball should stay depressed over time and should NOT re-inflate at ALL unless you remove your finger). Now, this tool helps SUCK out stubborn stones. Sometimes people poke and prod with their tools and it lodges the stones further in the back of their throat. The baster certainly helps suck them back out. Some larger stones may not be able to be sucked out the entire way, but enough for you to get a better grip on them with other tools (toothpick, tweezers, college pliers, etc...). Originally, I took a bic pen and took the cap off, and turned the cap upside down and taped in onto the butt end of the pen with clear tape. Now you should have a plastic paddle (the part of the pen that everybody bends while they fidget with pens and it annoys people because its bent... yeah, that part). You can bend the tip at the end to get a paddle. That has worked well for me also and it is safer than other sharper objects. As far as smelling the things, YES, they stink people, stop smelling it. Why do we have the sick urge to keep smelling them? Stop it! Just know they all have a putrid smell and take our word for it if you haven't smelled them already. Very sulfer-smelling. But, some people can't take advice and need to find out on their own <sigh>. Anyway, because of your reviews, I'm ordering the WaterPik Ultra (WP-100) on Amazon for $46.82 (free shipping). I'm anxious to see if a jet stream of water will dislodge them (although I hope it doesn't push it further in!!!) but you people say it works so I'm going to give it a shot. Also, after researching online I think post-nasal drip may contribute to tonsil stones, so I've also ordered a Neti Pot on Amazon for $13.99 (free shipping) for sinus cleansing/irrigation. Lastly, I've ordered some tongue scraper/cleaners (ones from Butler or Dentek look pretty effective and appear to have nice rubber grips). I also plan to continue trying to dip Q-tips in hydrogen peroxide and dab it onto the tonsil cavities (after I remove the stones from there). I'm launching a hardcore battle against these dang things. I'm tired of tasting sulfur in my mouth, having that popcorn-kernel-in-my-throat feeling when I wake up, and having it cause bad breath and having to deal with getting these things out all of the time. On a side note, I do consume a lot of dairy (milk, sour cream, CHEESE!) and since I LOVE those things so much, and due to the fact I'm not entirely convinced that dairy products are a cause, I would only eliminate those as a very last resort if all else fails. I think most of the planet consumes dairy products, but only a tiny wee percentage of people have to deal with these darn stones, so I don't foresee their being any connection. Oh, and to the one person on this blog that mentioned a lump on the outside of their throat, yes, I do have one of those!! I don't know if it is related or if mine is the same as yours, but I'm thrilled at the prospect of possibly linking that to our tonsil stone epidemic. I'll keep everyone updated on any new developments, thanks for reading my post and thanks to all that have posted here!

TonsilStoneHater commented on 08 Jan 2008, 10:23:35
I've read all of these reviews and glad I'm not the only one who gets these. My wife also had them (coincidentally?) the same time I did, but she hasn't had them in a very long time and I still do. Ok, I've used some items that nobody has mentioned thus far, like bamboo skewers (careful, since they are sharp), and what has been most helpful, is a TURKEY BASTER, yes, a turkey baster. I found a stainless steel one with a rubber ball. It is important to find one with good suction (to test this, squeeze the ball and cover the hole with your finger... the ball should stay depressed over time and should NOT re-inflate at ALL unless you remove your finger). Now, this tool helps SUCK out stubborn stones. Sometimes people poke and prod with their tools and it lodges the stones further in the back of their throat. The baster certainly helps suck them back out. Some larger stones may not be able to be sucked out the entire way, but enough for you to get a better grip on them with other tools (toothpick, tweezers, college pliers, etc...). Originally, I took a bic pen and took the cap off, and turned the cap upside down and taped in onto the butt end of the pen with clear tape. Now you should have a plastic paddle (the part of the pen that everybody bends while they fidget with pens and it annoys people because its bent... yeah, that part). You can bend the tip at the end to get a paddle. That has worked well for me also and it is safer than other sharper objects. As far as smelling the things, YES, they stink people, stop smelling it. Why do we have the sick urge to keep smelling them? Stop it! Just know they all have a putrid smell and take our word for it if you haven't smelled them already. Very sulfer-smelling. But, some people can't take advice and need to find out on their own <sigh>. Anyway, because of your reviews, I'm ordering the WaterPik Ultra (WP-100) on Amazon for $46.82 (free shipping). I'm anxious to see if a jet stream of water will dislodge them (although I hope it doesn't push it further in!!!) but you people say it works so I'm going to give it a shot. Also, after researching online I think post-nasal drip may contribute to tonsil stones, so I've also ordered a Neti Pot on Amazon for $13.99 (free shipping) for sinus cleansing/irrigation. Lastly, I've ordered some tongue scraper/cleaners (ones from Butler or Dentek look pretty effective and appear to have nice rubber grips). I also plan to continue trying to dip Q-tips in hydrogen peroxide and dab it onto the tonsil cavities (after I remove the stones from there). I'm launching a hardcore battle against these dang things. I'm tired of tasting sulfur in my mouth, having that popcorn-kernel-in-my-throat feeling when I wake up, and having it cause bad breath and having to deal with getting these things out all of the time. On a side note, I do consume a lot of dairy (milk, sour cream, CHEESE!) and since I LOVE those things so much, and due to the fact I'm not entirely convinced that dairy products are a cause, I would only eliminate those as a very last resort if all else fails. I think most of the planet consumes dairy products, but only a tiny wee percentage of people have to deal with these darn stones, so I don't foresee their being any connection. Oh, and to the one person on this blog that mentioned a lump on the outside of their throat, yes, I do have one of those!! I don't know if it is related or if mine is the same as yours, but I'm thrilled at the prospect of possibly linking that to our tonsil stone epidemic. I'll keep everyone updated on any new developments, thanks for reading my post and thanks to all that have posted here!

guest commented on 09 Jan 2008, 16:36:25
both my sister and i have large tonsils and we both had stones. until reading dr katz's website, it didn't occur to me why i haven't had any in a long time. i switched over to an oxygenating toothpaste when i switched dentists and they've been gone ever since.

guest commented on 11 Jan 2008, 09:14:04
I've been having problems with tonsil stones for the past few years. My one tonsil is HUGE, and there are a lot of stones in it, because the more I dig around, the more that pop out. Yesterday I was too aggressive, and now my tonsil is red and painful. I fear I may get a nasty infection. I hope I don't need my tonsils out as I'm 42 and this is a difficult surgery in someone my age, but I am tired of dealing with the bad breath that goes along with this affliction!

guest commented on 12 Jan 2008, 22:09:38
I've had tonsil stones for about a year and it wasn't that long ago that I found out what they were (thanks to this website). I'm really bad at trying to remove the tonsil stones myself and I've tried using Qtip and the water pik, but neither was effective. 3 weeks ago, I had my tonsils removed. Everyone made the surgery out to be REALLY bad, but it wasn't really all that bad. So I say that if nothing seems to work and if you're a big wussy like me who don't like shoving things in the back of your throat to remove the tonsil stones, get your tonsils removed and you'd never have to deal with it again. Plus, after the surgery, my doctor told me that it was a good thing I removed it because the tonsil stones were erroting my throat tissue. I wouldn't have known how serious it was until I got the tonsils removed. Good luck to those who do decide to get their tonsils removed.

CrystalG commented on 14 Jan 2008, 03:52:34
Hi! Thanks for this website! Gosh! I have been suffering from these tonsil stones for 6 months now and thought that I have a serious ailment or disease. First, I noticed that there this whitish thingy stuck on my tonsils. I thought I was about to have tonsilitis and when I showed it to the doctor, I was prescribed with antibiotics but the stones still remained! As it became annoying and after several gagging, I was able scrape it off with my finger! Ewww! Out came the stones! I crushed it and smelled it! Gross! yes, it really smelled awful!!! After I scraped several stones as it felt like there were more inside the crevices, I felt relieved but honestly, I felt goose bumps all over as I was worried that I may be sick! Thanks for sharing your experiences here as I felt glad to know that I am not the only one suffering with this tonsillolith!
My solution was to be more careful when brushing and flossing my teeth and yes, I use the tongue scraper more often. The doctor also advised me to gargle with non-alcohol mouthwash to minimise bad breath.
(Another personal tip is to chew on sugarfree gums :-)

guest commented on 15 Jan 2008, 08:21:51
Using alcohol mouth wash is very helpful in keeping these tonsil zitz from coming about.

guest commented on 21 Jan 2008, 13:50:16
I noticed these disgusting things when I was around 17 or 18. I was mortified when I reached back and pulled out these AWFUL smelling things from my throat. I have been removing them from my throat for years and thought I was the only person in the world and the grossest. I have never talked about it with anyone but my family until a couple of girls I worked with told me they had them and I admitted I had it too. I have found that by using the end of an incense stick is the best way to remove them so I always keep those in my bathroom drawer. My boyfriend of ten years doesn't even know and I hide in the bathroom to remove them. I know when I am getting them because the back of my throat tastes like pusey for a couple of days (sexy huh?) so I try to avoid kissing my boyfriend on those days. I then take the incense stick and poke around the usual places (I have about 4 or 5 "crypts" where they collect). I tried a water pik but it made my tonsils bleed and it hurt really bad so that was a waste of $30. I just ordered the system from Dr. Katz and am hoping but I don't have much faith. I want to get my tonsils removed but I am too old probably and I hear that doctors won't do it for this reason alone. I have noticed that whenever I am taking a series of antibiotic that they go away and stay away for a couple of months. I love it when that happens but antibiotics are not healthy to take for no reason that's obvious. I brush and floss religiously so when I have the pus breath, it really bums me out...

guest commented on 24 Jan 2008, 00:59:01
Does anyone have an idea of what "too old" is to get your tonsils removed? I am 22 I don't know if that qualifies me for too old, but tonsil stones are horrible and I would like to be rid of them forever.

guest commented on 24 Jan 2008, 18:10:37
My daughter was diagnosed with tonsil stones by an ENT today. She has suffered with them for years, but when she asked her primary care doctor about them her doctor suggested that she gargle with salt water (didn't work). She finally asked for a referral to an ENT who identified the problem and said he sees THOUSANDS of people for this condition. He recommended using a waterpik on each tonsil every day. He said that the pockets in the tonsils can collect food and bacteria which cause the stones. The stones stretch out the pockets in the tonsils allowing more food particles and bacteria to collect. By washing the tonsils daily with the waterpik she can keep the stones from forming, and hopefully the pockets will gradually shrink in size.

Stridinglady commented on 26 Jan 2008, 04:00:39
Hello there, I am 28 and have suffered from awful breath since I was a child, it absolutely awfula nd it comsumes my whole life, I have even had 2 operations on my nose as I was convinced that it was from post nasal drip...........in the past couple of months i have since realised that these nasy little lumps are too blame, my problem is that i cant see them but i know they are there, i cough them up eventually and there can be either one huge one or many small ones........im really struggling to see them and have been poking about my tonsils......I also bought a waterpik yesterday but it just made m bring up my breakfast....ouch.........gag reflex not good! does anyone else have the problem of not seeing them????

The Answer! Finally!!! commented on 03 Feb 2008, 23:06:42
I've had two of these things fling out of my throat. Except they weren't white they were greenish yellow. And they were shaped like a ball and the size of a pea. !!!! It happened right when I woke up one time, the next time I woke woke up and started talking to my brother I gagged and coughed it up, !!! Flew right into my hand, it's crazy!!!! I thought I was a weirdo, but didn't think to look online until tonight. I think I have one now, because It feels like I have something in the back of my throat everytime I swallow, and its getting worse, and my breath has gotten really bad. Horrible even..... I never knew about this, becasue I have a had horrible breath for a long time, I'm 19 now and it's really embarrasing. I always chew gum, and floss every day, but even after I brush my teeth for ten minutes I still get bad breath five minutes later! But everyone says they can see them, I just looked with a flashlight and a mirror and couldn't see anything. ?????? And anyway, it feels lower than the back of my throat. Like right under the chin. Can you go to a throat specialist and get them removed??? Anyway, good luck to everyone, I'm glad I'm not alone on this. =D

sue commented on 07 Feb 2008, 15:55:09
At first I thought my brains or lungs were coming out and I was die-ing. Now years later, there just discusting and nasty as the first day I found them. I've been told to have my tonsils removed. To get rid of them before they get big and smelly, I take this plastic ear cleaning(cleans wax) tool that I took from my childs DR's office. Its amazing how deep the crevices go that are in your tonsils. Use a high mag. mirror to see them better and dig away:)

Alec in Palm Springs commented on 11 Feb 2008, 09:29:12
I am alarmed at the dangerous, unhygenic objects many people are using to poke around in their throats. Incense sticks kept in a bathroom drawer? Blackhead removers? Straws cut to a point?
Waking one morning to find several disgusting chunks on my pillow was all I needed to decide to have my tonsils removed. Only one day did it genuinely hurt to swallow, and enjoying as much ice cream as I could consume without guilt soothed that pain to no more than the suffering expereinced after screaming at a football game until my voice was gone. This followed by two or three days of a progressively less painful throat - already less painful than the constant pain week after week, year after year caused by tonsil stones. Less than a week after surgery it was all over - no more bad breath, no more painful lumps in my throat. The music teacher who must have a perfect voice at all times? You will never have a healthy voice as long as you have bacteria or protein filled tonsils. I am a professional singer, and my voice improved dramatically due to the additional space in my throat. No longer coughing in the middle of a performance was a dream come true.
The women who are pregnant. If you can't bear the pain of tonsil removal how on earth are you going to bear a child?
If you don't have insurance or it isn't covered, save up for it, even if it takes years. How much are you spending on less than successful products that have to be purchased again and again and again? How much are you risking every time you put a foreign object in your throat and poke around? No matter how well you clean that object, it is almost impossible to fully sterilze anything at home that isn't designed to be used once and disposed of.
If your doctor is prescribing antibiotics your doctor is a moron who should have his license taken away. Nature designed tonsils to be a barrier against germs, but for all of us reading this site, they have become a reservoir. Repeated infection often leaves tonsils pitted with crypts where bacteria can lurk, out of the reach of antibiotics. If your condition returns after a course of antibiotics and you take another, then another course of antiotics all you are doing is increasing your resistance to that antibiotic. That is ALL you are doing. If it didn't work the first time, it won't work the tenth time. At some point you will have some other infection that is usually treated by the antibiotic to which you have become resistant. Woops! All you are doing is contributing to the rise of superbugs that require newer and more potent antibiotics. Your children will be the ones who have to deal with those superbugs. That is reason enough to stop and think about what you are doing.
Add up the hours you spend needlessly self treating a condition easily taken care of, once and for all. Ten minutes a day? That's more than an hour a week. 52 hours a year. In ten years you've completely wasted 520 hours. If you sleep eight hours a day, a simple three day inconvenience would mean that the new mothers could instanly give their new baby the best gift of all - EIGHT MONTHS of additional attention. Or you can poke around in your throat and watch your child turn from your bad breath when you try to kiss them.
Eight months with an aging parent.
FInd a few more minutes in your day and suddenly you have time to have that baby you keep putting off because you are too busy.
Eight months to meet someone, fall in love and get married - oir have an affair!
It almost seems too easy to have your tonsils removed. How could something that causes constant suffering be solved by such a simple procedure? Most people would consider minor the daily suffering everyone here goes through. I've been in your shoes and know that isn't true. It HURTS. ALL THE TIME. It's real and it is constant. No one here has to endure a lifetime of suffering. As I said earlier, if you can't afford to just have the surgery, save for it. Every dollar means you are one dollar closer to being rid of this condition for the rest of your life. If one person decides to take my advice, then the 20-30 minutes I spent writing - time I would not have had if I still had my tonsils - will be time well spent.

rosa commented on 11 Feb 2008, 17:41:38
My son is six years old and has this problem for about 10 months now. I took hhim to the doctor thinking is was strep and nothing. The doctor gave him antibiotics and these little balls were still there. We tried the gargling, that didn't work. I take tooth picks and pick them out. A few days later their back. I'm goona try this to see if it works. One question.. Can I use this on my son soon to be 8? Please let me know.

guest commented on 11 Feb 2008, 21:52:39
I have been getting tonsil stones for years. Just recently, I have had dreams that I am swallowing bubblegum and have even dreamt I was swallowing marbles. I then wake up in the middle of the night gagging and reaching to the back of my throat. I realized it was all caused by the development of a new tonsil stone. I found that if it is big enough I can dislodge it by slightly pressing beside the stone with a dry Q-tip.

guest commented on 11 Feb 2008, 22:15:22
I have these as well, I too was afraid that i might have some form of cancer. I have gotten really good at removing them. I got a box of sterile long handled Q-tips from a friend. These are awesome! You must use these rather than the short ones we all use. I shine a pen light w/ one hand and poke around w/ the sterile swab. I feel that I will not be introducing any more bacteria when I use the sterile swabs. Some of the craters are quite deep! Now that I have found them, I was mortified to see a glob in there! I used to wait until I saw one emerging... now I go after the suckers! Do ENT specialists have any relief for us? should I even go?

guest commented on 16 Feb 2008, 13:06:23
I have coughed these up in the past and can feel them in the back of my throat, but when i look in the mirror, I don't see anything (no crypts and no stones). More often lately, I have been experiencing bad breath and a foul taste in my mouth, so I am pretty confident that it is due to tonsil stones. Has anyone ever suffered from them without seeing them in their throat? I can't really just go poking around in there, because I have a pretty wicked gag reflex. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

Annie commented on 18 Feb 2008, 19:23:46
Has anyone noticed if the stones get worse after they drink diet soda for a week or so?

jenn commented on 19 Feb 2008, 05:33:27
im so glad to come on this site. At first for the past 3 years i reallt thought i had something wrong with me. Because i asked people close to me if they experianced it and i got no response. Finally i know what it is. I dont get them that much maybe once a week and its discusting. I try to get it out with a q-tip and it usually works. And i have to agree with the other person it does smell like crap.

Elizabeth from CA commented on 20 Feb 2008, 11:28:21
~ I coughed up small tonsil stones only once or twice when I was 21. NEVER BEFORE THAT AGE! ~ Now I am about to be 25 and if I open my mouth and stick my tongue out as far as it will go I can see that my tonsil "Crypts" are FILLED with stones right now! Like some spider laid eggs in my throat ! Who knows how many other times it's been like this but I just didnt know because they're not visible unless I open REALLY wide and stick my tongue out really far.
*** HOW I GET RID OF THEM: I use a medicine dropper to -suck- them out. Just use one finger to pull your cheek back so you can come in from the SIDE rather than straight back, avoiding the *Gag* reflex.
Good luck everybody!

guest commented on 28 Feb 2008, 16:59:00
I have had these for years. For years, I never knew that they even had a name. I have used a clean long toothpick to fish them out of the crypts. I thought of using a water pick years ago, but that didn't seem comfortable or effective given that they're often buried in tonsillar crypts. I had always thought that they were partially digested pieces of food, caught in my tonsils. Reading this site, it seems otherwise. I'd like to know where the research is that these are formed from protein secretions or otherwise. Are these described in the medical literature?

guest commented on 29 Feb 2008, 06:27:07
I recently noticed a white patch on my tonsil, three holes on each tiny, flat tonsil and a feeling of blockage all the time. When I clear my throat and suck on my throat, a bunch of mucus comes out, it feels wondeful and clear for a few seconds, then feels blocked again. This happens repeatedly.
When I go outside (it's winter) the membranes seem to shrink, the blockage seems to go away, and mucus pours down the back of my throat.
When I wake up in the morning, the mucus is built up, and the same scenario starts all over again.
Is anyone experiencing any of these new things I mentioned, and is it normal- do you know- to have three holes on each tonsil??

Eajohn commented on 29 Feb 2008, 11:16:25
I cant believe I suffered with this problem for so long. A recent recurrent throat infection has made the crypts in my tonsils much worse and i am getting these tonsil stones about twice a week. Though I do find that chewing gum seems to make them worse. Though they are mostly just an inconvienience the pits are really ugly looking and i wondering if anyone had simply had them sewn up instead of a full removal of the tonsils?This site is excellent!

guest commented on 02 Mar 2008, 10:06:02
I'm glad I found this website. I had no idea what these things were. I've had them for a few years now, and hate it. They're so gross, they just feel gross. And my breath is never fresh because of them! I finally looked further into it because the other night they must have dislodged in the back of my throat while I was sleeping. I must have swallowed them, because I woke up with a horrible sensation of them stuck in my throat, and I could taste/smell them. I felt nauseous all day because I could feel them there! Really gross.
I started getting freaked out because I've never heard anyone talk about these things, and I wondered if it was a sign of something serious. I'm glad to hear that it's not!
But still, what a drag to deal with!

guest commented on 03 Mar 2008, 05:40:54
My tonsil stone fell out! I'm glad I found you guys because I didn't know what was wrong with me! I fiiirst started noticing it when the air got too dry; it smelled like cheese. I don't eat meat, but I do eat a lot of dairy products and a little fish and chicken. Maybe the breath can be controlled by diet???

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