We’re all familiar with what kidney stones are, but did you know such a thing called tonsil stones exist? Did you know that bad breath can even be caused by those tonsil stones? These stones are caused by calcification of material from the debris that accumulates within the crevices of the tonsils from eating food, a.k.a. tonsillar crypts. These stones, similar to kidney stones, are primary composed of calcium, but can contain other materials such as magnesium or phosphorus.
Tonsil stones may not hurt you, but you might be able to notice them as a small lump in your throat. They can, however, be difficult to remove, effectively causing bad breath as bacteria may get lodged up in the crevices and accumulate over time. Although tonsil stones may be common (you might’ve not even known about these), it is rare to have a large, fully solidified tonsil stone. In such a severe case like this, you may need to consult a doctor as surgery may be your bet in removing them.
The tonsils are essentially part of the lymphatic glands located on the back of your throat. Tonsils function to trap bacteria and microorganisms that pass through the throat. As helpful as this may sound, this can also become more of a nuisance than actual help as this may cause a breeding ground for bacteria to grow.
What causes tonsil stones?
Tonsil stones are formed from the build up of sulfur-producing bacteria and debris from food particles and post nasal mucus. This build up will form small lumps that get lodged inside, causing infection, pain, irritation, and bad breath. Alongside with noticing a lump in your throat, bad breath is the main indicator for tonsil stones. If you’ve been trying to figure out why you may have bad breath, and could not come to a conclusion, tonsil stones could be it. This goes back to the build up of sulfur that we mentioned earlier.
How to prevent tonsil stones from forming?
Like we always say, make sure to maintain a healthy, daily oral hygiene routine that consists of brushing and flossing twice a day, accompanied with an anti-bacterial mouthwash. An anti-bacterial mouthwash will target bad breath inducing bacteria and chemically battle those that cause bad breath such as sulfur. Make sure to thoroughly brush your teeth and gums!
Lastly, if you’re on the never ending search for why you have bad breath, and can’t seem to figure out why, check out Bad Breath Free Forever, an online, step by step program designed to target symptoms of bad breath at the source, and address them through 100% natural remedies.
If you happened to stumble upon this article, this means you have bad breath and have been searching online for a solution. You’re on the right track to finding the root cause of your bad breath. You’ve gotten this far, keep searching for it. Don’t get discouraged.
Your bad breath could also even be caused by something bizare as the Zenker’s Diverticulum.
Don’t rule anything out!