What is the treatment for tonsil stones

Learn what you can do about that buildup of bacteria in your tonsils.

Think of your tonsils as glandular traps. These traps guard the inside of your body, by catching incoming bacteria and viruses passing through your mouth and down your throat.

Like sponges, they have holes and crevices. When bacteria, food particles, mucous, and dead skin and cells become trapped, they clump together into a tonsil stone.

Tonsil stones, also called tonsilloliths, begin as soft, white clumps that might not even be visible. Over time, however, they can calcify and harden into stones. In either form, they are generally harmless, but their presence can signal more serious health issues, such as infection, tonsillitis and poor oral hygiene.

Symptoms of a tonsil stone include:

• Bad breath
• Visible white matter, caught within the tonsil’s folds
• Ear pain
• Swollen tonsils
• Sore throat
• Difficulty swallowing, especially if the stone is large
• Pain, when the outside of the throat is touched

In some cases, you may see white gelled clumps in your tonsils but have no symptoms at all.

Removing tonsil stones

In most cases, removing a tonsil stone can be done at home. Using a cotton swab, gently push on the tonsil, behind the stone, to force the stone out. Vigorous coughing and gargling can dislodge stones, as well. Once the stone is out, gargle with salt water, to remove any remaining bacteria.

For larger stones that won’t budge, or if you have symptoms of a tonsil stone but don’t see one in your throat, it’s time to consult a doctor.

Procedures for removing stubborn tonsil stones include:

• Saltwater gargles
• Numbing your throat, so that the doctor can manually remove the stone
• An outpatient visit, to remove the stone
• Tonsillectomy to permanently remove the tonsils and, therefore, eliminate tonsil stones altogether

“Generally, manual removal and saltwater gargles are the way to go, with antibiotics reserved for acute flares,” says Eric J. Kezirian, MD, MPH, otolaryngologist at the USC Caruso Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at Keck Medicine of USC and professor of clinical otolaryngology – head and neck surgery at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. “If tonsil stones recur often enough, tonsillectomy is warranted.”

Preventing tonsil stones

The only proven way to prevent tonsil stones is to remove your tonsils, but you can reduce their occurrence by intensifying your oral hygiene routine. Be sure to brush your teeth at least twice daily, gargle with an antiseptic or saltwater and drink water after eating, to flush away any food remaining in your throat. Smoking may also be a culprit, so consider quitting.

If your tonsil stones are painful, or if you’re concerned that they may signal a more serious medical condition, consult with a medical professional.

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Dr. Eric J. Kezirian

preventing tonsil stones

tonsil stone removal

tonsil stone symptoms

tonsil stones

tonsilloliths

Heidi Tyline King is a former magazine editor who has written for numerous national publications.

Sometimes no treatment is recommended for tonsil stones. Because they are not harmful, doctors may recommend leaving them alone if you do not experience or are not bothered by the symptoms associated with tonsil stones. (1)

If they do bother you, some at-home remedies may help you deal with them.

Using a Water Flosser

One of the best methods recommended by doctors for dislodging tonsil stones is doing so with a water flosser. It’s a great way to remove them without gagging, and it doesn’t involve any sharp implements. “It’s the safest noncontact method,” says Jennifer Setlur, MD, an otolaryngologist at Massachusetts Eye and Ear in Boston. (2)

Gargling With Salt Water

When it comes to tonsil stones, there are a few benefits to vigorously gargling using salt water. It can help relieve throat discomfort or pain, and it can dislodge tonsil stones. It can even help get rid of bad breath odor caused by tonsil stones. Gargling can be particularly useful after eating to prevent food and debris from getting caught in the tonsillar crypts, the small, naturally occurring crevices in your tonsils. (1)

Pushing or Squeezing Out Stones

Many people try to physically remove these stones on their own by pushing or squeezing out these growths with an object.

If you do try to remove a stone yourself, do not use a sharp object (such as a pen, pencil, toothpick, knife, or safety pin) to do so, says Dr. Setlur. “There is risk for injury to the tonsil and bleeding,” says Setlur. “There is a risk for vascular injury.” Even using a finger or toothbrush could scratch your tonsils, so if you do try this method of removal, try using a cotton swab.

Using an object for stone removal can work, but putting pressure on the tonsils can also trigger the gag reflex in some people, says Aaron Thatcher, MD, a clinical assistant professor at the University of Michigan Medicine. If you do decide to remove the stones yourself, be sure to push the dislodged stones forward, toward the opening of your mouth, and away from your throat. (1,2)

Yes, Sometimes Tonsil Stones Do Go Away on Their Own

In some cases, tonsil stones can go away on their own, says Setlur. “Your tonsils can change, becoming more cryptic [meaning they develop more crevices and pits] in the late teens and early twenties, and shrinking as we get older.”

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