Tonsil Stones Symptoms

In order to avoid invasive surgical procedures, you can learn about tonsil stones and what causes them, and make an effort towards preventive care first and foremost. In the following lines we are going to explore both the medical and the home approach to tonsilloliths.

Home remedies

Gargling makes tonsil stones go away easily and safely. In addition to gargling, you should rinse your mouth daily using alcohol-free mouth washes or salt water. This method both removes and prevents the formation of tonsilloliths. However it is not 100% sure to work in all cases.

Self-removal with the help of cotton swabs or picks deserves mentioning too. However, this method of dislodging tonsil stones is not the ideal approach because it poses a higher risk of infections. You may not succeed in removing the stones, yet, the irritation caused in the tissues could lead to an infection.

Strict oral hygiene rules help prevent tonsilloliths and protect the upper respiratory tract against more serious infections.

• Avoid eating thirty minutes before going to bed.
• Reduce the dairy intake in your diet, because milk-foods favor the development of tonsil stones.
• Drink plenty of water to clean the throat and eliminate the food debris.
• Brush the teeth after every meal and before going to bed.
• Scrape the tongue to remove the bacteria after you brush your teeth.
• Avoid sugary or caffeine-based drinks because they favor the formation of tonsilloliths.

Medical Options

There are many choices in the form of drug treatments and surgical removal. The medication used for the treatment of tonsilloliths includes:

• antibiotics,
• nasal sprays,
• antihistamines (which only prevent swelling and mucus build up).

The problem with drug treatments is that they treat the symptoms and not the cause. Eventually, tonsil stones reappear, not to mention that the body develops tolerance to medication, and drugs no longer work in the end.

The surgical removal of the tonsils represents the only 100% efficient way of treating and preventing the formation of tonsil stones. However, without tonsils, the throat remains directly exposed to the attack of bacteria and viruses from the outside, in the absence of a throat barrier to block these at the entrance.

Preventing tonsillitis

Patients who suffer from repeated bouts of tonsillitis are more prone to developing tonsil stones. A good approach to the treatment would aim not only at eliminating the infection, but also reducing the incidence of the tonsillitis episodes. This becomes possible by strengthening the body’s natural defenses either through diet, natural supplements or aerosols. Spending ten or fourteen days at the seaside (where aerosols are formed), twice a year works wonders for our immune system.