Tonsil Stones Overview And My Experiences

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Author: Matt

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guest commented on 03 Feb 2007, 23:13:32
Awesome article. I found it very helpful in removing my tonsil stones. The water jet works like a charm. Thanks for the info.

guest commented on 18 Apr 2007, 18:30:01
Over about the last 7 years or so, I have developed a chronic cough. I've been through immunotherapy-- taking up to 4 shots/week for molds and pollens. I took the shots for 9 years and have stopped now for the last couple years. My allergist says I do not have asthma and referred me to a gastro guy to check for acid reflux. The gastro guy says I don't have enough reflux to be causing my exhausting, embarrassing, chronic cough. The cough is so chronic, that at times I cannot speak an entire sentence without coughing. It really is embarrassing to me! Sometimes my voice goes to a whisper or I seem to 'choke out' mid-sentence. Sometimes I feel what I describe as a wheeze, or that my breath is squeezing out of my lungs. My next plan to try and help myself become healthy again--is to see a pulmonary doctor. Also--Benadryl helps diminish the cough but that wears me out by the day's end.
I REALLY needs some relief if anyone has experienced similar symptoms and can offer some advice. My idea is that I have post nasal drip and/or asthma.
ANYWAY-- in looking for what could be causing my cough--I came across these "tonsil stone" references. I have them and it's only taken...30 years for me to figure out what they're called! I recall finding my first one around age 10 years, or so. Like many others, I asked my dentist and others about it -- but no one has ever known what they were. Now I know what they are! Isn't the net such a cool place?!

guest commented on 24 Apr 2007, 18:47:03
Have been through the whole "chronic cough" gamut for the past 16 months! Started with an "atypical bactierial in fection" - sick and feverish with a terrible cough for three weeks. Finally recovered but cough has come and gone since. I also have tonsil stones and recently came to realize that there must be a connection! Just starting to explore prevention of the stones. Allegra D did help for awhile during Spring growth and allergy season here ( I'm in Florida) but now that is not as effective - Going to my Dr when I get home to NY next week and going to really pursue this! Makes me crazy and the bad breath is terrible!

guest commented on 01 May 2007, 13:11:24
am i the only person who has smelled their tonsil stones? while hacking, the white ball of gunk shot into the palm of my hand. then, i crushed it between my fingers, and smelled them. it literally smells like fecal matter. can others relate to this? Yeah, I know it's gross. :( I think they need to start a tonsil-stones support group.

guest commented on 02 May 2007, 09:09:27
I totally freaked out last night when I saw a white clump in my tonsil. I am so uncomfortable wondering how to get rid of it without gagging myself...just bought a water pik. Thanks for the info!

guest commented on 16 May 2007, 18:30:11
Answering the second guest:
Hi, I'm sorry about your chronic cough. I think what you are describing might be what I experience, also. All of us sudden I start coughing, in mid-sentence, whenevr, and can't stop for the life of me till I turn almost blue. Really, I turn so red from sudden and continuous coughs that at the end I almost whoop/wheeze to get enough air in. It is cyclical though, and does not always happen. When I am going thru a high-occuring period, though, sometimes I'd be afraid to make a phone call, as I'd be afraid that I would not be able to finish it if the episode occured. I have handed the phone to my husband a few times as the "attack" came and I could not talk for the life of me.
Now, I am not sure that I can offer much by way of advice. Mine started when I was about 27 years old or so. I don't know what it is, but in the last few years I've also started getting a lot of sore throats/tonsil pain. Here are my current thoughts:
1. As it seems to be worse in the winter, I wonder if it has to do with the dry air aggravated by the forced-heating system. My throat must be irritated anyway, so predisposed to further weakening by the forced-air.
2. I do have physician-confirmed chronic post nasal drip that is causing irritation of the tonsils and throat.
Therefore, do you think humidifying the air would help (I haven't tried since i can't keep up with the filter changes - but might try a filterless humidifier/vaporizer this winter)?
Do you have enlarged tonsils by any chance? Mine are "irregular" in the doctor's terms (who advised I have them removed due to chronic sore throat that even made me go thru MRI to rule out tumors, etc...) and might be causing some disturbance to the normal air flow and perhaps causing further irritation to the throat.
I am sorry this is not much help. But perhaps thinking out loud this way might get you started in a direction that ends up useful for you.
One thing that I think is the case with this condition, not being sure you have the same issue, of course - is that I don't think it is anything "serious" like asthma, etc..., but some sort of mechanical problem that results form the anomalies/irritations of the throat. This is my thinking at the time, but I don't know better.
I hope you find your cure. Do let me know how it goes, please.
Kindly,
Anne.

guest kmd commented on 29 May 2007, 15:57:28
I have a simple question: Are tonsil stones hard - i.e., like "little stones?" My sister has what she thinks are tonsil stones, but they are not hard --= they are more like silly putty. What do you all think? Thanks.

guest commented on 31 May 2007, 03:42:05
How I got rid of tonsil stones!
First, cut back on dairy foods. I switched to soya milk (except for in my coffee) and rarely ate any cheese.
However, i believe the most effective way of eliminating these nuisances is just vigorous mouth hygiene. I started flossing every evening, using a alcohol-free mouthwash, and bought a TONGUE SCRAPER(just a cheap plastic one), which i believe was my key to tonsillolith freedom! i noticed on my tongue was a yellowy layer, which was thicker nearer the back of my tongue. I concluded that this must be the cause of the build up of bacteria and sulphates and after less than a week of using the tongue scraper twice a day, (after the tonsilloliths already in my throat had been poked out using a torch and cotton wool) there was no sign of the little blighters!!
Now, 2 months on i am so much more confident, my mouth smells fresh and being 17, am delighted that i have tackled the problem early on.
I wish u all the best of luck. Happy tongue scraping!

Matt commented on 01 Jun 2007, 22:59:05
Hello KMD,
Tonsil stones are not really all that hard, The silly putty description you mentioned seems about what like I've experienced.

guest commented on 03 Jun 2007, 13:01:40
Hello,I have to Thank you very much for your website.It's very helpfull.I'm a guy from Czech republic fighting tonsil stones and bad breath.I just want to ask you one question.Have you got bad breath I mean constant,caused by this or no.For me it's very important.When you found how to prevent tonsil stones has your bad breath gone??/ Thanks very much Michael

Matt commented on 06 Jun 2007, 14:33:57
Hi Michael,
Tonsil stones are known for causing very bad breath. The tonsil stone remedy above has helped me rid myself of them and the bad breath that goes along with them. Click the link in the third paragraph of the above article to learn more.

guest commented on 12 Jun 2007, 07:50:42
I have suffered with tonsiliths for quite a while. Mine reappear several times within a day. I remove them with a toothpick. It works well, but they reappear within a few hours. Help!! Thanks

guest commented on 12 Jun 2007, 12:44:57
my stones come out after i feel sore throat on one side, i cough hard and out it comes,mucus with sometimes a pink tint or dark, could be coffee,sometimes i think oh know throat cancer

FLGuest commented on 14 Jun 2007, 13:45:20
I tried flossing and the non-alcohol mouthwash as a preventative but it had no effect. I've been removing them with q-tips. I can push on the tonsil a bit and then when I see it start to come out one of the craters I can can usually manage to get it the rest of the way out. Some times it really feels like I have a massive amount in there.

guest commented on 15 Jun 2007, 23:03:35
I get they disgusting things as well. I first noticed these about 7 years ago. I had a sensation of something being stuck in my throught, like a popcorn kernal. When I checked in the mirror I could see a white pimple looking thing on the back of my palate. I just used my finger and poked at the side and put a little presure under it and it popped right out. Yes, it smelled absolutely disgusting. I still get them. I guess they are in the pits that used to be my tonsils. No I never had the tonsils removed but they went away on their own. (This is what my doctor told me).

guest commented on 18 Jun 2007, 01:03:31
yes it does smell like fecal matter indeed i thought it was bad breath and brushed ever since but they will still come back i had my first one around 11 or so and now im 17 and just had strep throat and jeez they came back oozing out of my tonsils pretty bad but now i just have empty holes that hurt??? can somebody help me? and also im coughing up the remaining pus thats being broken down by the antibiotics from strep throat but help
heres my secret bot free email address for ur help
locdogg789 @ msn . com

guest commented on 09 Jul 2007, 14:39:37
I'm so glad I looked into this on the net! I've had tonsil stones for the past 20 years. I had no idea that this weird affliction affected so many others. I've wanted my tonsils removed for some time, but my husband who is a physician keeps telling me that my problem wouldn't warrant the risk of the surgery. I do have unusually large tonsils, so I'm sure that's a big part of the problem. Since I've been dealing with this for so long by using Q-Tips to scrape them off, I've pretty much elimited my gag reflex or so I thought until I had to start working them out from behind my tonsil. Oh So Gross! Anyway, I'm excited about trying a water pick and some of the other remommended methods for prevention. Good luck to the rest of you!

Michael commented on 27 Jul 2007, 09:53:43
Hello,I was interested in bad breath for quite a long time.I went through many webpages and it helped me a lot.
Bad breath can have many causes and two people with same deases can have different breath.Sinusitis can but DOESN'T have to cause bad breath,as well as chronic cough,acid reflux and many others.
Tonsil stones are not only due to bacterias producing hydrogen sulfid but many others as well.
I read story about bacteria from dog(psteulla) that caused terrible breath and tonsil stones.After taking antibiotics,bad breath and tonsil stones were gone.Not at all,but remaining matter didn't smell so much or at all and wasn't forming stones.
I have found bacteria ENTEROBACTER in my mouth.After taking pills,my dental floss doesn't smell anymore,even if there are any parts of food and I can't find tonsil stones in my throat any more.Thanks to yours and other websites I found the way GOOD LUCK to everyone

guest commented on 28 Jul 2007, 11:12:13
I've been discovering these nasty little yellow clumps in my mouth for years, so disgusted I never told anyone. Then one day my sister starts complaining about the same thing and I was like ME TOO! She had the guts to collect of few of her own to show her doctor and her doctor didn't even know what they were. Now, years later we find our answer on the web. TONSIL STONES. I'm too grossed out to go fishing for them in the back of my throat but she has told me how she's been treating them. She makes a habit of scooping out that little hole in each tonsil with a Q-TIP. You have to master your gag reflex somewhat though. I'd rather try and convince my doctor to remove my tonsils. I'm not using 'em anyway!

guest commented on 29 Jul 2007, 10:57:06
I remove mine regulary, just get a mirror and a flashlight, take a qtip and push on the outside where the stone usually is , then it will usually pop right out. I can also use my finger to push up under my tonsil and it can pop out. If one is very stuck, I have a tool that is made to remove blemishes, it looks like a little metal stick with loops on each end, I make sure it is clean and I dig them out, then I gargle with peroxide after and whalla, all gone for a few months!

guest commented on 08 Aug 2007, 13:14:33
I have suffered from tonsil stones my whole life. I had no idea were the chronic bad breath came from! I have never had a cavity.I was searching online one day and came acrossed this site. Thank god! It seemed that over the years(i am 30 now) my bad breath has become worse. I have made an appointment with an ENT to have the stones removed. My tonsils are so enlarged with stones it is virtually impossible to remove myself. My throat becomes very irritated and I get sick to my stomach. I just wanted to thank everyone for writing their experiences!!

Erica commented on 16 Aug 2007, 20:13:17
I seriously struggle with tonsil stones on a daily basis, and am constantly paranoid about bad breath. I vigorously brush my teeth and tongue and tonsils to get rid of them everyday. It is so exhausting! Has anyone tried the tonsil stone remedy stuff? It sounds to good to be true but I really want it if it work! Thanks.

guest commented on 23 Aug 2007, 13:39:45
I think I may have similar but mine is white spot back of throat just behind roof of mouth, it comes and goes a couple of times per week but always appears in the same place. However, I've had mine tonsils removed a couple of years ago due to bad throat infections and rarely get sore throats since - is this the same or any ideas on what it could be?

guest commented on 24 Aug 2007, 08:22:52
I have had tonsil stones for years now. I get them out by taking my finger and pressing on my tonsil , starting on the bottom and working up.

Kel commented on 27 Aug 2007, 20:46:23
Tonsil stones are quite common. After suffering from these nasty things for almost 3 years & trying everything from mouthwashes, salt gargles. I had had enough! In the end they just got worse and worse and I was getting them 2 to 3 times a month! The only way to make them go for good is a tonsillectomy!

concerned commented on 31 Aug 2007, 20:30:21
i've experienced tonsil stones too. i've tried dr.katz products. in our country(Philippines) because it's too far then the prices are too high too. i purchased the toothpaste and the gargle for about $50. don't worry,in the US it's way cheaper. i noticed that my breath got better and the canker sore are not as alarming as before. even in the morning,my breath smells nice. try it guys,it's worth it. good luck!

guest commented on 04 Sep 2007, 11:32:32
i have been suffering with tonsillithis for about a year. it's very hard to live with this, i have looked for help, but it still doesn't work. there have been times, when i just poke my tonsillar crypts with a toothpick to remove the debris, but it comes back.

guest commented on 06 Sep 2007, 04:08:37
i've had this problem too... i haven't experienced any bad breath although i'm paranoid about it. my boyfriend swears my breath doesn't smell and he should know!
they are disgusting though. i had 6 of them on one tonsil before i worked out how to get rid of them. i've made my tonsils bleed from poking them too hard wth a toothbrush. i've tried gargling salt water, brushing and flossing up to 3 times a day, cutting out dairy, nothing seems to work :(
a tonsillectomy is out of the question as i'm a music teacher and need a healthy throat all the time!

guest commented on 06 Sep 2007, 08:30:46
hell yeah!! im not the only person on the planet suffering from this, shall we say, sickening disorder. . thanx 4 the FANTASTIC site. . soooooo helpful

guest commented on 12 Sep 2007, 20:46:36
I take Zertec, Flonaze, and use a tongue scraper everyday to prevent the post nasal drip that causes my tonsil stones. Yesterday they came back, so I did "NeilMed Sinus Rinse" and gargled with hot salt water for tow nights. I got rid of it tonight, thankfully. It smelled disgusting. Do you really think it is worth investing in a water pick? Also, should I get my tonsils removed?

guest commented on 20 Sep 2007, 14:05:15
i hate tonsil stones i always wonder if other people think i have bad breath because if them, no one has told me anything and my gf still kisses me no complaints from her. i can usually get them out using my tongue but they always come back. ill do anything to get rid of them for good, but the ENT doctor wont take out my tonsils so i need to go another route. what do i do?

Nancy commented on 21 Sep 2007, 03:04:22
I found that if I rinse out my sinuses with a warm saline rinse, it helps not only post-nasal drip and symptoms from allergies, it also decreases the amount and frequency of tonsil stones I get. It seems to be the only thing that has helped me so far. The first time you rinse your sinuses out you feel like you're drowning, but the relief surpasses the slight discomfort. Give it a try and see how you feel.

guest commented on 25 Sep 2007, 19:27:43
I HAVE FOUND A GREAT METHOD FOR COMFORTABLY REMOVING MY TONSIL STONES. ITS CALLED A "COLLEGE PLIER" AND IT'S WHAT YOUR DENTIST USES TO REMOVE COTTON ROLLS AND WHATEVER OTHER SMALL THINGS HE PUTS IN YOUR MOUTH. THEY ARE BASICALLY A REALLY LONG PAIR OF TWEEZERS AND I USE THEM TO SLIDE THAT LITTLE CURTAIN OUT OF THE WAY AND GRAB THE TONSIL STONES RIGHT OUT (I USUALLY HAVE A FEW HANGING OUT ON ONE OF MY TONSILS). SINCE I AM A SERIOUS GAGGER, THIS HAS BEEN A REAL LIFE SAVER FOR ME BECAUSE THE TIPS ARE SO SMALL THEY DONT HIT ANYTHING ELSE BACK THERE. I GOT MINE FROM MY DENTIST, BUT I'M SURE YOU CAN FIND THEM ON THE INTERNET!

guest commented on 25 Sep 2007, 20:47:50
I am glad to hear some information about these tonsil stones. When i first had one i woke up with something "fuzzy" feeling in my throat my first thought was a spider crawled in there in the night. As gross as these stones are, im really glad it wasn't a spider! i 've had two since and i am going to try all of your suggestions to prevent them! thanks

guest commented on 26 Sep 2007, 05:58:35
I just ordered the products from Doctor Katz. I really hope this works! I have been dealing with the stones for about 10 years! I am so excited to try something new and hopefully it will work!

Lynda commented on 06 Oct 2007, 17:01:20
I have had these since I was a kid... I was told by a doctor once not to worry that the tonsils trapped germs as they went down your throat and formed those germs into the tonsilloths(sp?) which have to go somewhere so they pop out. If one irritates me I just dab a bit of toothache remedy on the tonsil with a q-tip then pop it out manually with a toothpick or something... I notice they appear more during cough and cold season on myself and now my kids, so maybe there's something to what the doc told me when I was a kid....

guest commented on 09 Oct 2007, 21:34:20
oh my goodness! i have them too.
im always poking at it with my Q-tip to push it out. but i noticed if i squeeze at it with my Q-tip eveyday just a yellowy-green liquid will come out and it doesnt form a big stone like it usually does. but now i have a lump on the side of my neck where the affected tonsil is.
i dont know what it is! but its worrying me.
anyone else have the lump on the neck?

guest commented on 10 Oct 2007, 13:53:24
i have had tonsil stones practically my whole life. They are more of an irritatoin than anything, I suually coughe them up at night more than any other time of the day, but recently I've been picking them out with my fingers. Also,I'm a dental hygienist so I am obsessed with my oral hygiene. I brush, floss , rinse, tongue scrape at least 4-5 times a day but the tonisl stones still come back! I was thinking about trying those products from Dr. Katz (therabreath) but I'm skeptical about trying things online. has anybody tried them yet? and would you recommend it?

guest commented on 15 Oct 2007, 21:18:58
I had one and I couldn't get it to dislodge and I eventually poped it with a toothpick and a little white goo came out abd I looked where the stone was and it wasn't there. I know the amount of white goo was not enough to empty the stone. so where did it go?

Andrea commented on 16 Oct 2007, 09:00:12
Another way I found to get rid of the stones was usuing mouthwash along with a tweezer to pull out the stones. kinda bled a lil but i found that ALOT came out and for me i havnt really had ne thing go on since then. And is it normal to have flu like symptoms with them in ur tonsils and then once removed it goes away almost immediately? that happend to me a few years ago and im just trying to see if it was just me or what!

guest commented on 19 Oct 2007, 13:06:01
Tonsil stones do not consist of food particles, as many tend to believe. They consist of protein, and are especially prevalent when an excess of protein has been consumed and processed by the body. One avenue the excess protein takes as it leaves the body is through the tonsils. Not everyone who consumes large amounts of protein gets tonsils stones, but there is a much higher incidence of occurence in those who have on-going sinus issues (either caused by allergies or by structural ENT challenges, such as a deviated septum, etc.).
You may test this by temporarily increasing your intake of protein for a couple of days (Eating high-protein bars is an easy way to do it.), and you will notice a dramatic increase in the frequency and size of your tonsil stones during this time. After a couple of days, reduce your protein intake to a much lower level (even lower than you usually consume) and your tonsils stones will dramatically decrease, if not disappear altogether.
I hope this information can be beneficial to anyone who suffers from tonsils stones.

guest commented on 22 Oct 2007, 18:19:40
I use a tweezer to get the tonsil stones from the back of my throat.

Mom in CA commented on 26 Oct 2007, 12:46:11
I have had some relief from my tonsil stones in recent years but just this week I've gotten a pretty bad case of a sore throat, stuffy nose, etc. and I'm getting stones each time I eat. I used to be able to pop them out with a bobby pin but I can't seem to get any relief right now and I'm considering getting a water pik because I need some quick relief!! Anyway, I'm also wondering if anyone has ever had a doctor remove the stones for them? I had a doctor tell me to "just brush your tonsils." OUCH. That sounded awful and I have tried it and it doesn't work in removing stones for me and it seriously makes me sick. I wish I had gotten my tonsils out a few years ago when I had the chance, but I got pregnant, have been nursing my son ever since and now pregnant again so I'm not exactly in the right position to be having surgery! Hopefully I can get relief from a water pik.

guest commented on 01 Nov 2007, 21:39:47
To the person who asked about smelling them. Yes, they smell gross! I have talked to several people who say the same thing - especially when you crush them - yuck!

guest commented on 01 Nov 2007, 22:47:12
Hi.
I've been feeling something stuck in my throat or tongue(not sure)for the past week. It was tolerable in the beginning. I thougth it might go away gradually. But by this past Sunday night, I felt it growing bigger(maybe not). But it's been bothering me more and more. I went to see my physician. He checked my mouth and told me there was a white patch on my tonsil. He suspected it was bacteria. So he took a sample and sent to the lab. The result came back today. It wasn't bacteria. Now I become more concerned. Yesterday and today I gaggled out some white or yellowish soft stuff. Pretty smelly. Like rotten cheese(I don't eat cheese, actually). Does this sound like tonsil stone to you? Help, please. I am worried about cancer. Will see an ENT next week.

JB commented on 05 Nov 2007, 23:53:32
thank you so very much. i've been searching the web for the last 90 minutes trying to figure out what's been going on with me for about the last year or so. i went to the doctor at first but he noticed something he thought was going on with my thyroid, we got side tracked, and i let it go thinking that would take care of it. but it never stopped. friday night at work was my most recent occurance with tonsil stones so i decided to google it. i'm glad i actually have a name for it now and know how to take care of it.

guest commented on 07 Nov 2007, 14:01:51
Regarding the cough mentioned above: You may be experiencing paradoxical vocal fold movement or paradoxical vocal fold dysfunction (PVD). Look it up on the web and see if the other symptoms match yours. I'm a speech pathologist and treat this on occasion. If it is this--there is treatment! Oh, and I do have tonsil stones as well! Thanks for the info on that!

guest commented on 09 Nov 2007, 09:15:47
My throath hurts on one side and I can't get the tonsil stones to come up unless I cough REALLY hard or move the muscles in my throat around, almost to the point that it hurts. I don't have like,cancer or something do i?

guest commented on 09 Nov 2007, 09:15:54
My throath hurts on one side and I can't get the tonsil stones to come up unless I cough REALLY hard or move the muscles in my throat around, almost to the point that it hurts. I don't have like,cancer or something do i?

Carmen commented on 09 Nov 2007, 18:14:45
Wow, I didn't know you could dislodge them! I just took one that's been forming for a few days out with my finger; but some of it is still back there. I think it starts out as soft and then hardens, getting bigger until it dislodges itself. I'm glad there's a way to get them out, because the bigger it gets, the more uncomfortable, and I hate the thought of randomly spitting it out at work, or worse, swallowing it!
I've been getting them probably once a year ever since I was a little girl; I remember the first time I spit one out in class, I panicked because I thought I was losing my teeth, lol. Nowadays, people think I'm crazy, "Do you guys spit out those hard little white things every now and then?"
I'm glad there's a solution; I will definitely be investing in a water pik.

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

An Answer! Finally!!! commented on 04 Feb 2008, 00:04:40
http://www.bad--breath.net/art_tonsilloliths_tonsil_stones.htm
and I just found this website where (supposedly) this dentist has found a way to get rid of them and the bad breath. With these tablets and spray??? !! I don't know, I'm to tired so I'll find out more information later. These things are horrible. I need to find a way to get rid of these and the bad breath as soon as possible.

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?

Danielle commented on 16 Feb 2008, 00:32:17
I call them Bad Breath Curds!

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???

guest commented on 03 Mar 2008, 05:51:33
Oh, I just realized I also use a sweetener with F.O.S. (a prebiotic). I wonder if THAT helps with the smell.

guest commented on 03 Mar 2008, 20:32:49
how dangerous is to get tonsils out?

guest commented on 03 Mar 2008, 22:14:36
i have them and i seem more prone to getting sore throats and thick flem in my chest frequently, more so than anyone i know... is there a conection and /or does anyone else that have these experience more frequent sore throats or coughing up flem in their chest and not being able to get the flem out??? ALSO... DID ANYONE HAVE THEIR TONSILS REMOVED AND THEN HAVE RELIEF FROM ALL OF THIS NASTY ANOYING STUFF??

Portland Girl commented on 06 Mar 2008, 01:33:34
I too get tonsil stones. After reading all of the comments it's all starting to make sense. I had a deviated septum, but I had a nose job and it helped with the stuffiness. However, I still can't breath well from the nostril on the side where I get tonsil stones, which may be why I still suffer from them. 98% of the time they are on one side only. However maybe a few times a year I get one from the other side. They are annoying, but what I can't deal with the most is the bad breath. It's disgusting. My breath smells like tonsil stones. I clean them out and I think my breath smells better, but my daughter tells me my breath is still bad. I don't think it's as bad after I've cleaned them out, but it's still gross. I remove my tonsil stones with a dropper. I fill the dropper up with water, put the dropper in the tonsil, I spray water in there, and then suck the stones out. I find that the more often I do it the smaller the stones are. My gag reflex on that side is okay from doing it for so long, but the other side doesn't handle it very well because I seldom get tonsil stones on that side. I haven't tried Katz's product yet, but I think I will because I'm desperate to get rid of my nasty breath. I've smelled the breath of other people and when it smells like tonsil stones I so badly want to ask them if they get them, but like a lot of you I thought it was disgusting and I was embarrassed to admit it. I only know of one person who had them and that was a former friend of mine. We called them "stinkies". DISGUSTING!! I'm relieved to have finally found that I'm not the only one who suffers from this. I'll let you know how Katz's stuff works.

guest commented on 06 Mar 2008, 07:34:36
Thank you for this site! I NEVER knew there were others who suffered from this condition. I've dealt with it secretly for over 20 years. I never told anyone about it because I couldn't describe it without sounding crazy and gross. It doesn't occur all the time. I generally notice them around the end of my menstrual cycle. They usually dislodge themselves at the most inopportune time and are very embarrassing. I've noticed them again recently and have been unable to clear them from my throat which caused me to search the internet until I found something. Thank you again for validating that I'm not crazy and that it is a real condition that I can do something about.

guest commented on 06 Mar 2008, 20:45:15
When I was a kid, I remember hacking up "little pillows" I don't know why I thought of them that way, but whatever. Recently, I've been hacking them up a little bit again.
I had an IUD placed a few months ago, and thought it might be the reason I was tasting a nasty coppery taste all the time. I felt like my breath was rank and didn't make the correlation until recently. (I brush every night) After bringing a clump up, I squished it between my fingers and smelled it, (I did this to see if maybe it was some kind of food I may be able to identify by smelling), well let me tell you, WOOOOOH, like a sewer it smelled. How could anything so small smell so BAD. Not any kind of food at all. I though maybe it was pieces of french fry or something that just have been rotting in my throat somewhere, gross I know. I don't see anything in my mouth or tonsil area, so I don't have to physically extract them, I cough them up every so often and the best way to get them out of the tonsil flaps is by brushing my teeth. Brush all your teeth, and when you are doing the top back teeth, brush a little farther back, brush your tonsils. Gaggy, but it works. I like to save mine in a baggie. I want to make my husband puke one of these days... LOL

guest commented on 10 Mar 2008, 18:43:24
My brother for years has had white spots on the back of his throat. He went to a nose and throat doctor and they told him that he will grow out of it. Just recently I had strep throat and have been getting sore throats and ear infections often. One day I was at work and i coughed so hard, something flew out. I picked it up and thought it was food or something, squeezed it and I could smell it. The smell was soooo BAD! I didn't know what it was. Then I was at school and I coughed again and something flew out. The same thing from before. There jus falling out becasue im not logding them. Today I went to the doctors cause I saw white spots on my right tonsil. They swabbed it and made it losen then i coughed again to get it out and It was the same thing. They took it to the lab and gave me antibiotics. I tried the qtip thing and it makes me gag. I cough so hard that I like turn blue. I'm thinking about the water pik because one is so far down. And its not hard.

New Zealand commented on 12 Mar 2008, 20:18:50
I first noticed I had tonsil stones about 15 years ago. They come in varying shapes and sizes, with the yellow ones (they've been in there longer) smelling slightly worse then the white ones. They look a lot like small bits of cottage cheese. Do not crush them between your fingers and smell them, it’s just not worth it. Take it from me and everyone else, they stink. They grow and live in the ducts of your tonsils, the bigger your ducts, the bigger the stones. A common dominator among people talking about them, like mine, is that your tonsils are slightly bigger then normal. There has been no noticeable pattern as to when they decide to come, winter or summer, drinking alcohol or not and even no link to the type of food I eat. I, like the person above, get strange satisfaction from dislodging the little chaps from my tonsils. Fortunately enough for me, I don’t have any gag reflex from years of poking my tonsils with my finger. If you are going to use your finger (or anything else for that matter) be sure it is clean and sterile, you’ll only get sore and infected tonsils. If your tonsils do get sore from too much prodding, Diflam is the best cure, spray it directly onto the tonsil, works a treat. To all the people that think they've got extremely bad breath, you probably don’t or it’s not as bad as you think. My breath doesn’t seem to be that affected, I drink a lot of water (which helps to wash the little fellas down, and don’t worry about swallowing them, they wont kill you, remember, your body produced them). To get the stones to the surface for removal later, I rub my tongue against my tonsils while I’m at work, pushing on them slightly. When I get home I just use my finger to get them later. If you push on your tonsil and white smelly liquid comes out, I think that’s them before they form a stone. Don’t worry if your tonsils bleed a bit after poking round, happens to me all the time. If they bleed a lot though, I would go to a doctor. And by the way, took me ages to work out what a Q-Tip was, thought you were all poking your tonsils with snooker cues.

guest commented on 12 Mar 2008, 20:19:40
I first noticed I had tonsil stones about 15 years ago. They come in varying shapes and sizes, with the yellow ones (they've been in there longer) smelling slightly worse then the white ones. They look a lot like small bits of cottage cheese. Do not crush them between your fingers and smell them, it’s just not worth it. Take it from me and everyone else, they stink. They grow and live in the ducts of your tonsils, the bigger your ducts, the bigger the stones. A common dominator among people talking about them, like mine, is that your tonsils are slightly bigger then normal. There has been no noticeable pattern as to when they decide to come, winter or summer, drinking alcohol or not and even no link to the type of food I eat. I, like the person above, get strange satisfaction from dislodging the little chaps from my tonsils. Fortunately enough for me, I don’t have any gag reflex from years of poking my tonsils with my finger. If you are going to use your finger (or anything else for that matter) be sure it is clean and sterile, you’ll only get sore and infected tonsils. If your tonsils do get sore from too much prodding, Diflam is the best cure, spray it directly onto the tonsil, works a treat. To all the people that think they've got extremely bad breath, you probably don’t or it’s not as bad as you think. My breath doesn’t seem to be that affected, I drink a lot of water (which helps to wash the little fellas down, and don’t worry about swallowing them, they wont kill you, remember, your body produced them). To get the stones to the surface for removal later, I rub my tongue against my tonsils while I’m at work, pushing on them slightly. When I get home I just use my finger to get them later. If you push on your tonsil and white smelly liquid comes out, I think that’s them before they form a stone. Don’t worry if your tonsils bleed a bit after poking round, happens to me all the time. If they bleed a lot though, I would go to a doctor. And by the way, took me ages to work out what a Q-Tip was, thought you were all poking your tonsils with snooker cues.

Sunny commented on 13 Mar 2008, 14:14:42
I never had tonsil stones until I was pregnant. Around 4 months I started feeling the little lumps in the back of my throat. I didn't give it much thought since my entire body was changing. I just figured it would go away once I had my baby. She is 19-months-old now and I STILL HAVE THEM!!!!!!!! Fortunately, I am having my tonsils removed this summer due to frequent sore throats and strep. YEAH!!!! NO MORE STONES!!!!!!!
Good luck to the rest of you. I know how irritating and nasty they are.

guest commented on 13 Mar 2008, 15:55:01
Shove your finger in and push the suckers out! I am really freaked out that I have bad breath - every so often I ask my husband and he says no but I think he is just being kind. I have not told him about the affliction as he would probably never want to kiss me again. What I want to know is does everyone with bad breath have these? Have you guys ever been told that you have bad breath or are people too polite??

Greg commented on 18 Mar 2008, 15:34:19
WooooHooooo!! I'm not a freak after all. I've been using a flashlight and a finger for years. I didn't know it was so wide spread.

guest commented on 19 Mar 2008, 15:30:38
Please be careful with the waterpik. My dentist advised me that spraying the stones could lodge them in deeper - maybe it depends on the water force.

guest commented on 26 Mar 2008, 08:59:18
I have been told I have bad breath and I am positive that the majority of it is because of the tonsil stones. I've had them for years, but in the past I would only really cough up one every once in a while (maybe once every few months). Ever since I had the flu about a month ago, it's been ridiculous. It seems that I can prod out a few new ones every morning. I can't believe that they can from that fast... Yuck.
As for the water pic - I did buy one and it got a few out pretty easily. However, after using it just last night, I poked at my throat earlier this morning with my finger and five came out. EEEW! I don't know if this is because they are forming really fast or because I just didn't hit the right spot with the pic the last few times I used it.
Some people have asked about whether you have to be able to see them or not to have them... Well, I never see mine. I feel them usually. I usually find them if I pull the "curtain" that covers up my tonsil up and back and then press down. This tends to pop them out, but only on the one side. I am pretty sure I have them on both sides because of the itchy foreign-body feeling I have, but I can't seem to get any out at all on the one side.
A final word of advice. After all the poking I've done and what with not always being really careful about cleanliness, I now have a really lovely infection going on back there, which seems to have made things much worse. Make sure you clean everything really well, or just use a water pic with nice clean water.
The more and more I have to deal with this, the more I'm thinking of going to an ENT to have my tonsils out, even though I am a HUGE baby and probably will be really miserable for weeks after. If it means getting rid of these things, it might be worth it.

guest commented on 27 Mar 2008, 10:57:02
Regarding the person who thought 22 was too old to get tonsil stones, no. I am 49 and get them from time to time but it was my 14 year old daughter who has investigated what these annoying things are that we both get and found this site. My daughter gets them frequently. My theory is that we have both suffered from recurrent tonsilitis and I think that the tonsils are left uneven and pitted and that is why they form. I get them out with a cotton bud but am going to try the water jet that has been mentioned by some of you. They stink. It's embarrassing and not something I have discussed much with people. I thought it was coming from my eustacian tube but thanks to this site now realise what it is.

TRISH commented on 29 Mar 2008, 07:43:26
SHOULD THERE BE ANY CAUSE FOR CONCERN IF MY PROBLEM OF TONSIL STONES PERSISTS WHILE BEING PREGNANT? ITS SO MUCH MORE PROMINENT BEING PREGNANT, I DON'T WANT ANYTHING TO HAPPEN TO MY BABY.

guest commented on 29 Mar 2008, 20:05:41
It is so wonderful to see this site. I hadn't been feeling very good lately with a sore throat. I looked online for some information and saw this site and was amazed that my white spot was a tonsil stone. My wife has always complained about my breath smelling like crap, and I always thought it was dental hygeine (which I thought I had taken care of my mouth pretty good.) I am sure I have had these for a while since I remember coughing up these stones thinking that it was a piece of peanut or something that wasn't chewed up enough. I will keep my eyes out for these stones now that I know what they are!!

guest commented on 29 Mar 2008, 20:17:31
I just made a comment and had some insight. Looking at Pubmed.com, a medical site for published articles, one article explains that they are made out of calcium salts along with other mineral salts such as sulfur. I didn't see anything about remedies, however. It is interesting that if you search for hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol), you will find over 50,000 articles that contain that condition in it, however, if you type in tonsillolith, you only get 28 articles. This is interesting and definitely explains why not too many health care professionals know too much about it.

J.C. commented on 31 Mar 2008, 13:50:47
I just noticed these recently. I was concerned that the little beads were coming from my lungs. I correlated the 2 with smoking and lack of sleep. I then just recently noticed 2 white dots on my left enlared tonsil. I often used the enlarged tonsil as an excuse to get out of work. Your boss with thing you have a throat infection lol. But now im seeing the downfall. But I never had bad breath. I have a brutally honnest girlfriend and friends and I've been asking around and they all say im ok. I suck them out of the back of my throat and started to pick at them with my finger. The bad taste only seems to come after eating and when my thoat is dry. Once I get them out I seem to be fine for a while. I only have 2 craters and I am trying to keep them clean. I rinse after every meal and brush them at night and in the morning. I am seeing an ENT next week, because I am prone to infections. I too am a singer and I was wondering if the removal of my tonsils and fixing my septum will impact my singing and voice?

J.C. commented on 31 Mar 2008, 13:51:26
I just noticed these recently. I was concerned that the little beads were coming from my lungs. I correlated the 2 with smoking and lack of sleep. I then just recently noticed 2 white dots on my left enlared tonsil. I often used the enlarged tonsil as an excuse to get out of work. Your boss with thing you have a throat infection lol. But now im seeing the downfall. But I never had bad breath. I have a brutally honnest girlfriend and friends and I've been asking around and they all say im ok. I suck them out of the back of my throat and started to pick at them with my finger. The bad taste only seems to come after eating and when my thoat is dry. Once I get them out I seem to be fine for a while. I only have 2 craters and I am trying to keep them clean. I rinse after every meal and brush them at night and in the morning. I am seeing an ENT next week, because I am prone to infections. I too am a singer and I was wondering if the removal of my tonsils and fixing my septum will impact my singing and voice?

guest commented on 03 Apr 2008, 18:57:02
do you have to keep on using that stuff from dr katz if you want them to stay gone? that seems like it could get expensive, although maybe its worth it.

guestKIM commented on 04 Apr 2008, 09:15:10
Thank GOD I found this web site... for a while I thought I had some kind of throat cancer.... I thought oh, great this is how I am gonna die.... these little yelloish balls are gonna kill me... thanks for all of the remedies! I am glad I am not the only person suffering from this...

guest commented on 05 Apr 2008, 15:19:22
thanks a lot for the article

guest commented on 06 Apr 2008, 10:51:13
I have had tonsil stones for about 5 years now, which has affected my relationship with my husband. I chew gum, brush and floss and dig these stones out with a sterile long q-tip on a weekly basis. I have been on a waiting list for 3 years now with a ENT, and now there is an opening for surgery. I am 30 years old and currently pregnant with baby #2. I am considering having my tonsils removed once baby is born. The pain can't be any worse than having all 4 of your wisdom teeth taken out. The pockets seem to grow deeper, and there are also pockets that I can't find to dig out. I had a bad throat infection approx 6-7 years ago where my tonsils were so swollen they almost touched for about a month, I believe that's where the pockets originated from. I believe I have tried all remedies including placing toothpaste inside the pockets to eliminated the smell, nothing works. I am alarmed at the amount of people that suffer from this irritating foul breath that affects us on a daily basis. Good luck to all

Comfort commented on 12 Apr 2008, 21:29:43
I am glad to have googled about this, I have been suffering from tonsil stones for the past 3yrs now. Because it got so irritating i decided to google it up, i'm quite happy to have found this site. From here i can finally get rid of them. Thank you very much and my God bless you.

Something NEW to try :) commented on 12 Apr 2008, 22:24:32
Yesterday I had one appear, immediately started looking for help, and found this website. I have to say, it's so discouraging when you have one and are reading comments like this. I don't blame anyone for being mad, but this time around (I've had em before) I just wanted to take it easy and not fight it, even though I knew it was probably gonna be bothering me like crazy for the next several days.
Then I remembered something that Wayne Dyer (motivational speaker) once said that was intriguing. He advises you to "talk" to your bodily problems. He said that whenever he gets sick and experiences upsetting symptoms (whatever--rash, fever, any ailment) he'll talk to it in a calm manner, asking it to go away. First time I heard that thought it was kind of silly thing to do.
Then, I also remembered that for the past few weeks, I have been really hard on myself and very ungrateful in my life despite all the good things going on. I started worrying about things not being right, and got self conscious about my body and everything else you can imagine. Well let me tell you, I'm now a firm believer that we create a lot of problems for our own bodies whenever we behave like this. Why is it that some people breeze through life, never even getting so much as a cold, while others are chronically sick and continue to get worse? I think this just might be one of the factors.
So last night, and then this morning, I stared at the tonsil stone, and decided to embrace it. NOT resist it. I think the worst thing to do is to call it a nasty critter and other interesting names because then you give such a tiny thing so much power over your life...and your happiness! People have cancer, for goodness' sake. Yes it may smell weird. And I know it's totally uncomfortable, but focusing on it and all these things just makes it (and you) feel worse.
SO. I said to it:
"I embrace you and accepted you for two days. But now you need to go away, because I love myself unconditionally! I love my body and my life and am grateful for everyone and everything it.
I am whole and complete now.
I am worthy of the very best life has to offer, including perfect health and peace of mind...
etc.
Guess what? Tonight, after dinner, I noticed that it dissappeared. Maybe I swallowed it (awkward but better than having to pry it out).
I'm truly amazed, because the last time around, I had it for like a WEEK, and it got bigger and bigger the more I resisted it and hated it. And I finally swallowed that one too, but this time around it only took two days and really no stress or frustration.
Just try this. I highly recommend it. Not just with your tonsil stones but with ever other symptom. Let's love ourselves and everything else will take care of itself.

Amir commented on 15 Apr 2008, 04:37:15
im 21 yrs old.. i had this disgusting tonsil stones for months, i noticed my tonsil crypts are like getting deeper in the other side.. this past few weeks,i let this stones out in the middle of the night when i feel like its coming out,..i noticed that whenever it comes out, there's also this blood contents with the stones..i was so scared, my tonsils are bleeding whenever a stone came out...pls help me...

Raquel commented on 15 Apr 2008, 10:27:42
Thanks so much for your great information. Last summer, I noticed that my daughter's breath was really horrid~the smell of death! I talked to the dentist and her doctor about it, and they were not helpful at all. About a month ago, my daughter hacked up this "Thing" literally the size of a chewed up piece of gum. It was disgusting. When I looked in her mouth, I could see another massive lump of yellowish white curd like substance on both sides of her tonsils. I had her gargle twice a day with "Smart Mouth" mouth wash, which helped with the breath, and then I finally broke down and bought a water pik, per your suggestion. I got all the gunk out, by aiming and shooting at them with the pik. I could not believe what landed on the floor. Litereally, a chunk the width of a nickel and twice as thick. Then a few more chunks, and now...they are clear and her breath is normal again. I'm surprised my doctor and dentist seemed so oblivous to tonsilioths, and I'm thankful for your site!

guest commented on 15 Apr 2008, 14:39:32
As disgusted as I am reading all of these posts...I am so glad that I'm not the only one who is going through this. I've been talking to friends and family and they all look at me like I am a freak! I also just push mine out (with a manicure stick). I think I'll try the water pick trick and see if that helps! Thanks to all for your tips!!

guest commented on 16 Apr 2008, 16:43:56
I have had tonsil stones since I was little and now Im 21. I didn't know what they were until today!! Glad i googled it the symptoms! I dont get smelly breath and have good oral hygene but I still get the buggers! I dont have to poke them to get them out, I just push the muscles at the back of my throat together and push them out somehow...i dont know if anyone else can do that?! God they really do STINK! You think they smell bad when you get them out but if you squash them, my god, they're vile! Every now and again, I guess every few weeks I push them out coz I can feel them but I don't know how to get rid of them. I think its just part of life now! Damn things. Im going to use mouth wash every night and day and i think that will help because I remember once when I used mouthwash regularly I dont recall getting them much.
Good luck people...you are not alone in the fight against these skanky lumps!

guest commented on 29 Apr 2008, 01:20:00
I've had this troublesome issue since I was very young. (Earliest recollection = 7 years old)
I've noticed that mine build up during a time of stress and then slide out more readily when I have finally relaxed and feel comfortable.
For example. The one that I just removed, the one that inspired me to find this site, was built up over several days of stress. Sure, my breath got worse with each passing day, but today, when I finally confronted the trouble, (a conflict that I had had with a friend) after we reached some resolution, soon there after, it slid out. Sometimes our immune system kicks into high gear when we are emotionally charged.
My most effective remedy for causing them to go away:
Take some time to breathe, forgive yourself and others often and don't forget these three phrases: Life's cure-all's:
Thank you.
I'm sorry.
Please help me.
You may notice that they happen with less frequency and almost become a chart of when your body is under stress. (Could be emotional stress, physical stress, or simply a real tonsil problem)
Let's hope for the best. Breathe! Forgive! Love your body. It's the one you use! Is it not?
Otherwise, I encourage the use of one of these kits. Sometimes, when you invest in something, it works to your ultimate benefit.
Thanks for the great site!

guest commented on 03 May 2008, 20:28:45
This things make me vomit after my every swallow! Please do me a favor and DO NOT smell them! I did and I grossed myself out so bad my self esteem went down as I think myself as being a monster with this garbage on my mouth! I broke up with my boyfriend since I noticed them and poor thing doesn't even know why.. I hope he doesn't have them. I hate it. This is not helpful info I know... but if it makes you feel any better...here is someone else

guest commented on 04 May 2008, 19:11:07
Wow! Glad I'm not alone. My brother and I both get tonsil stones (I'm a 25 yo female, he is 20). We usually use Q-tips to get them out but my tonsils have gotten larger and more "craggie" recently. I tried using a bulb made to suck mucus out of babies noses and it seemed to work well. You can purchase one at your local pharmacy. I have been gargling with sea salt and warm water too. I still have some stubborn ones that won't budge, but I asked my mom and she said my breath doesn't smell. I am highly considering having my tonsils removed. Don't really know what else to do at this point.

guest commented on 11 May 2008, 11:14:40
I get tonsil stones when I frequently eat tortillo chips. After I quit eating the chips, the tonsil stones quit returning.

guest commented on 13 May 2008, 12:01:22
Glad to hear someone else has them.

rose commented on 13 May 2008, 12:03:28
Sometimes when I press on my tonsil, white thick pus will come out and then I will start getting sick within the next day or so. I will have nausea and throw up for at least two weeks. Does anyone know if this thick white pus could contain something that makes you very, very sick and almost unable to work??? Please write back.......

guest commented on 14 May 2008, 16:05:48
I got an infection from my tonsil stone. I tried getting it out last week, but it kept making me gag and was stuck in behind a flap of my throat. So I forgot about it until I woke up a couple of days ago with a horrible earache. I went to the doctor and he popped it out. It was bigger than a pea and hard as a rock! Now I'm on antibiotics and still have a horrible earache.

guest commented on 16 May 2008, 15:36:36
Thank you so much guys! Just pressed my finger against my tonsil after someone mentioned it, I had no idea there was so much to a tonsil stone!! Hopefully a better breath for a little while!!

D commented on 29 May 2008, 09:47:29
Hi, I have had this problem for about 4 months now, Ive been to the doctors twice, and have been given antibiotics that don't work. However what I have noticed is that everyone with this problem still have there tonsils, but I had mine out about 15 years ago, and I still get these Tonsil Stones which as everyone knows are vile!!!

guest commented on 01 Jun 2008, 17:50:46
i began taking antiobiotics for acne about a couple months ago, and recently realized that my tonsil stones dissapeared around the same time. I could always get them out with my fingers but like most of you, that was quite annoying. I'm glad to be stone-free now that i'm on the medication, but worry that they will come back when i stop taking it.

guest commented on 02 Jun 2008, 07:58:29
I've had this before when i had severe step tonsilitus. it went away after i took the antibiotics and gargled with salt water however.
this time i just thought something was lodged in my throat and when water wouldn't help to get it down, i looked in the mirror and saw white spots again. i thought it was soo weird that i wasn't in any pain. my lymphnode just felt very tender and was swollen. it's gotten better in the last 2 days but im guessing i should still go to the dr just to be on the safe side.
Im definately thinking i have tonsil stones though cause it just appeared and isn't even really bothering me. HOPE THIS DOESN'T KEEP UP!!

K+T commented on 03 Jun 2008, 13:34:36
My gosh arent they disgusting, they sit there lodged in the back of the throat for weeks and i just cant seem to get the blighters out. there horrible, my throat always feels tight, but you know when there going to come out as you get a sore throath, sometimes when i poke my tonsil(s) theres a white creamy gunk that comes out, but mostly its a good ol british tonsil stone!! they stink like nothing on earth! we didnt know what they were until we accidently came across this site, your all truly amazing! thankyou my fellow tonsil stoner buddies :D x

guest commented on 05 Jun 2008, 17:19:53
Great information. I too (and my dentist) did not know what the heck these stinky little brain matter looking alien balls were!!
I've had them since childhood and now at 47 my doctor tells me it is "Tonsil Stones".
I applaud you all for sharing your (our) disgusting little secret.
I am apprehensive in trying new remedies, methods or devices of torture, but soon will submit to reason based on what I have read in the above testimonials.
My method of removal is somewhat humorous and along the same principles as the “Turkey baster” - I perform the “Hoover maneuver”…
I place a bendy straw between the knuckles of my index and middle finger, and cover the end of the vacuum cleaner hose with the same fingers, inserting a small portion the straw end into the suction. Using a mirror and strategically placed flashlight, I quickly aim, then guide the straw over the stone. With one quick slurp (I know, it’s disgusting), the stone is gone and the cavity clean. This does help for about three to four months, then it’s “suck on the vacuum time…”
Thanks for sharing.

Becca commented on 10 Jun 2008, 18:38:28
I think I have tonsil stones too. I have one now I think (just noticed). I'm only 14 and think I have had them before too. I don't want to gag myself but I don't know where to a water pick and these dumb thing are affecting my cross country running! Where can I get a water pick??

guest commented on 16 Jun 2008, 05:17:14
Apparently these are a delicacy in China. Great on crackers. Seriously though, glad im not the only producer of these guys. I hate it when they pop out in my mouth mid conversation with someone, and I have to secretly put it on my hand and lob it on the floor. Or just kind of spit blow it out. Nice. Bet u all done that and thought you were disgusting. You're not, what else you supposed to do? Swallow it? No thanks. Save them for crackers

guest commented on 16 Jun 2008, 11:32:22
Recently found the site and glad I did. I do have the stones but not the bad breath. My crevices are deep so it is a pain to keep cleaning. My real question is how many of you experience the feeling of soemthing stuck in your throat or the feeling of constriction or shortness of breath with this condition of tonsil stones. Furthermore, have any of you experienced the feeling of popping in the ears or an altitude feeling of flying in a plane or driving in mountains type congestion at all? I have had this type of feeling in my head and constriction in my throat for about a year now and all test come back that I am fine and that "Globus" is the answer. Just wanted to see if anyone's tonsil stones give them additional symptoms like mine. Thanks.

guest commented on 17 Jun 2008, 01:55:36
same here, buddy. i've also had tonsil stones since i was a kid, and i'm also 21 years old. what a coincidence. i'm a struggling uc berkeley student, going into my fourth year, and i have a horrible social life. why? because of these stupid tonsil stones, which is the reason why my breath smells so freaking bad. i floss multiples times everyday, and brush my teeth two times a day (sometimes 3, right after each meal), and so I basically take care of my mouth, and yet i get these stones. i've gotten pretty good at using a toothpick to pick out these stones (without causing any bleeding), but it keeps coming back because my tonsil crypts are so fucking deep. they are literally like caves. i have about three crypts on my left tonsil, and one big fat one in the far back of my left tonsil. that big fat one is so big that i can literally see the tonsil stones building up day by day. and i'm being serioius, i can literally see it. i've tried dr. kats products, and they do not work. i've tried products like the waterpik, and it doesn't work neither because 1) it just makes me gag (how these people use it successfully is beyond me), and 2) some of my tonsil crypts are closed (they're kind of sealed and won't open unless i use a toothpick to carefully open it, sometimes the pressure i add will cause some minor bleeding that usually goes away after a couple minutes). i consulted a throat specialist about getting a tonsillectomy, but he said it's kind of risky to get your tonsils taken out (he said after a successful surgery, the stitches may accidentally open up while you are sleeping, causing you to bleed excessively; the excessive bleeding will either cause you to choke to death, or bleed to death). if you're desperate, you can try surgery. however, that same dr. told me that it's not a guarantee that removing the tonsils will get rid of tonsil stones and bad breath. which is true, despite what others like dr. katz have been saying.
i feel so happy for those of you who say that you have tonsil stones, but don't experience any bad breath. although 1) i really don't understand how that works, and 2) i am a little skeptical about it, i am still happy for you nonetheless. as for those of you like me, who have tonsil stones and experience foul breath, i encourage you all to keep researching and talking to other people ONLINE. i can't believe this forum has lasted for over a year (from february 2007 to april 2008). let's keep this up and help each other out.
thanks to this forum, i have new hope because before encountering this forum today, i had not tried out rinsing my mouth and gargling with salt water. i'll give that a try and let you all know how it works out.
until then, keep the faith.

UC Berkeley boy commented on 17 Jun 2008, 02:12:38
same here, buddy. i've also had tonsil stones since i was a kid, and i'm also 21 years old. what a coincidence. i'm a struggling uc berkeley student, going into my fourth year, and i have a horrible social life. why? because of these stupid tonsil stones, which is the reason why my breath smells so freaking bad. i floss multiples times everyday, and brush my teeth two times a day (sometimes 3, right after each meal), and so I basically take care of my mouth, and yet i get these stones. i've gotten pretty good at using a toothpick to pick out these stones (without causing any bleeding), but it keeps coming back because my tonsil crypts are so fucking deep. they are literally like caves. i have about three crypts on my left tonsil, and one big fat one in the far back of my left tonsil. that big fat one is so big that i can literally see the tonsil stones building up day by day. and i'm being serioius, i can literally see it. i've tried dr. kats products, and they do not work. i've tried products like the waterpik, and it doesn't work neither because 1) it just makes me gag (how these people use it successfully is beyond me), and 2) some of my tonsil crypts are closed (they're kind of sealed and won't open unless i use a toothpick to carefully open it, sometimes the pressure i add will cause some minor bleeding that usually goes away after a couple minutes). i consulted a throat specialist about getting a tonsillectomy, but he said it's kind of risky to get your tonsils taken out (he said after a successful surgery, the stitches may accidentally open up while you are sleeping, causing you to bleed excessively; the excessive bleeding will either cause you to choke to death, or bleed to death). if you're desperate, you can try surgery. however, that same dr. told me that it's not a guarantee that removing the tonsils will get rid of tonsil stones and bad breath. which is true, despite what others like dr. katz have been saying.
i feel so happy for those of you who say that you have tonsil stones, but don't experience any bad breath. although 1) i really don't understand how that works, and 2) i am a little skeptical about it, i am still happy for you nonetheless. as for those of you like me, who have tonsil stones and experience foul breath, i encourage you all to keep researching and talking to other people ONLINE. i can't believe this forum has lasted for over a year (from february 2007 to april 2008). let's keep this up and help each other out.
thanks to this forum, i have new hope because before encountering this forum today, i had not tried out rinsing my mouth and gargling with salt water. i'll give that a try and let you all know how it works out.
until then, keep the faith.

guest commented on 17 Jun 2008, 22:51:53
IF YOU WANT THE BEST “MOUTH WATER IRRIGATION SYSTEM”, GO TO WATERFLOSS.COM. I HAVE OWNED ONE FOR 6 YEARS AND THERE IS NOTHING LIKE IT. IT CONNECTS TO YOUR SHOWER AND IS STRONGER THAN ANYTHING OUT THERE. IT IS ONLY 29.95! I HAVE ONE IN EACH BATHROOM. HAPPY ORAL HYGIENE! YOUR WEBSITE IS AWESOME.

guest commented on 19 Jun 2008, 09:43:14
I am so glad I have read all these posts and God bless the iternet. Finally I know what these horrible thigs are, the end of a te year mystery. Wow, thank you

guest commented on 22 Jun 2008, 06:07:21
I am in my early 60's and have had tonsil stones on and off my whole life. I have always just pushed them out with my fingers. I am glad to learn of all these inventive ways of dislodging them and plan to try the waterpick today. Thanks for your site it really helped me to learn that I am not alone.

guest-COLORADO (romanian commented on 23 Jun 2008, 15:13:47
Same problem...same story. For over 10 years now i kept finding those white stinky balls in my mouth every morning. Size of a pea or smaller. A few times the size of a bean. And that foreign body feeling for days and days at the time is KILLING me!
I, too, can't see them (to be able to fish them out). And also I have constant bad breath coming from the back of my throat. I didn't know I had tonsil stones and was too embarased to tell a doctor...(told you..same story) therefore I just finished a VERY expensive dentist treatment of almost a year, thinking that re-doing all my dental work will help with the breath. IT DID NOT!
I only have pleasant breath about 3 minutes after brushing teeth, then this sour sulfur taste/smell comes from my throat and never goes away.
The stones go away for me after I drink a large amount of water. I can't swalow them, they come back in my mouth and I spit them out. Yes, I smell them, too, 'cuz I am sick :)
I didn't know if it was cancer, lungs disease, or dental problems.
Reading a lot about it, it does seem to be more frequent in people who:
-Smoke or have smoked at some point in their life(I have smoked for 9 years, quit for 4 now)
-People with mild lactose intolerance (i am allergic to milk, but i love milk, therefore I drink it every day because I am not extremelly alergic...)
-People with too much mucus in the back of throat(I have mild spring plant allergies and they make me produce lingering mucus day and night)
-People with a sensitive throat in their childhood, and that have had many episodes of sore throat, that stretches tonsils and produces deep crevices(I had a sore throat twice a year every year as a child)
-People who live in a dry area and don't use a good humidifier (I live in Vail COLORADO, air is so dry I feel like I eat sand while asleep)
Anyway, I agree that something needs to be done. A survey with good questions to be able to go to the roots of the problem. A research. A support group.

Eppie commented on 24 Jun 2008, 09:25:01
I'm scared to have surgery on my tonsil stones please help me .I want to try the remedy for tonsilstones.

guest commented on 24 Jun 2008, 23:15:32
I literally just pushed out my first tonsil stone....that is the most disgusting and disturbing thing i have witnessed in my mouth. I am definitely seeing about getting my tonsils removed a.s.a.p.

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