Tonsil stones are small, off-white deposits which usually form in the fleshy pad at the back of the throat (tonsils). They can cause a number of painful symptoms (provided they grow big enough) and are usually a result of poor oral health and poor hydration.
The manner in which they are treated depends on the severity of the situation. As you can expect, those with big tonsil stones will need more intense treatment than those with small ones. They should still be able to treat the infection at home but they may need to visit a medical professional (although this is not likely).
In this post I have outlined some of the most common solutions for tonsil stones to help your treat the infection. Most can be done so there isn’t any need for you to make a trip to the doctors – unless you are in a very severe situation.
Using cotton swabs
Given their size and length, cotton swabs are a great for removing your tonsil stones. You can get to the back of your throat with relative ease (if you’re not sensitive to gagging) and it’s easy to see what you’re doing.
They aren’t great at digging out stones that are stuck deep in the tonsils but they are very convenient.
Before you use the q-tip, wet both ends to make it gentler on the tonsils and so that it’s easier for the stones to stick to it. Also, do the removal in front of a mirror and use a flashlight to help you locate the stones (without these removal will take longer and will be more difficult).
After removing the stones, clean out your mouth with a glass of clean water. This will help remove debris and other remaining particles found in the crypts of your tonsils and any other small pockets of space found around your mouth.
Using a toothbrush
Toothbrushes are brilliant little devices for removing your tonsil stones. Their small bristles are great at getting in the crypts of the tonsils and getting under the stones – making it easier to get them out. You can use an ordinary one but an electric toothbrush is much more effective in this situation.
You basically use them in the same way but the vibration from the electric toothbrush make it more likely for the stones to fall out.
Likewise with the cotton swab, use a flashlight and mirror to help you locate the tonsil stones. Try and get the brittles underneath or beside the stones and put pressure against them. As if you’re trying to drag them out (without hurting yourself!).
Once you’ve removed the tonsil stones, clean your mouth out with clean water.
Also, you may want to buy a separate toothbrush for this. After all, you don’t want to spread the germs from your infection tonsil all over you mouth do you?
Apple Cider Vinegar
A big part of treating tonsil stones is taking measures necessary to prevent them from coming back. And one great way to do this is to gargle apple cider vinegar every day.
ACV has antibacterial properties (reference – https://www.newportnaturalhealth.com/2017/04/apple-cider-vinegar-benefits/) so it’ll help clear your tonsils out of bacteria and fungi. Given how much food passes your tonsils on a daily basis, it’s really important you clean them out regularly and effectively.
To gargle the ACV, I recommend you don’t do it straight. Instead, you should mix about 1 tablespoon of it with 1 glass of clean water.
Taking one sip at a time, swirl the mixture around your mouth and make sure it reaches your tonsils. After about 15 seconds, spit it out and repeat with the rest of the glass.
Another thing, ACV also has anti-inflammatory properties (reference – https://www.newportnaturalhealth.com/2017/04/apple-cider-vinegar-benefits/) so it should help ease any symptoms you have been experiencing.
Tonsillectomy
Given what I said at the beginning of this past, I thought it was only to include this at the end.
As I’m sure most of you know, a tonsillectomy is a surgical procedure that is used to remove tonsils. It’s usually carried out as the last resort when the symptoms become extremely severe or if the infection continually returns.
Doctors usually refrain from carrying out the procedure because of its after effects, particularly with adults. The pain experience is often so bad the patients are told to take 1-2 weeks off their work to recover.
This is why you need to think thoroughly and carefully when considering the surgery. Recovery will be extremely painful and it will only be worth it if you experience extreme relief from the infection afterwards.
Conclusion
Getting rid of tonsil stones isn’t the easiest at first but once you get use to the methods I spoke about above, they shouldn’t cause you too much of a problem.