Have you ever thought that when you are eloquent and eloquent in your speech, the person across from you is covering your nose and thinking: When will it be finished?
Others may not hear a word of what you have to say. And the root of all this may just be the pair of small tonsils in the mouth…
Actually, it’s not the tonsils that are at fault, but the “stones” that grow on them.
“What? I know about gallstones, I’ve heard of kidney stones, I know about ureteral stones, etc. Can these tonsils still grow stones?”
(tonsil stones, image source: soogif)
The tonsils are lymphoid immune organs that grow in our mouths. They are located above the esophagus and trachea. They act like “guards” to resist and eliminate pathogenic bacteria that enter the body through the mouth and nose.
Usually when we have an upper respiratory tract infection, the tonsils may appear red, swollen and painful. At this time, this immune organ is at work.
The surface of the tonsils is uneven. It has many folds, gaps, and dimples. These are called tonsillar crypts.
When tonsil crypts are blocked due to chronic inflammation of the tonsils, the exfoliated mucosal epithelium, dead bacteria, food residues and secretions accumulate in the crypts, and then the calcium salts secreted by the salivary glands, etc. Under the action, a stone-like deposit is gradually formed.
tonsil stones
Doesn’t that mean that people can turn what they eat into “pearls” like shellfish? If it takes a long time to cultivate a few more, wouldn’t they make a fortune?
However, shellfish produce pearls that are treasures, and what you produce is just a mess.
As mentioned above, tonsil stones are mainly composed of dead and shed cells, bacteria, minerals and food residues, which can be white or yellow, and most of them have some odor.
Tonsil stones are very common, up to about 14% to 16% of people have tonsil stones [1,2], but the vast majority do not have any symptoms, so many people have tonsil stones. Didn’t know I had tonsil stones.
Partial tonsil stones can cause some uncomfortable symptoms, including:
Halitosis: Halitosis is often something you can’t smell, but when you’re talking to someone up close, you can smell a sour smell.
Foreign body sensation in the throat: Some people with tonsil stones often feel that there is something in their throat, which can lead to a cough.
Coughing up stones: The pharyngeal vibrations caused by coughing may dislodge the stones, spitting out small white or yellow stones, often with a A stench.
Feeling a bitter taste in the mouth: In addition to letting others smell bad breath, some people with tonsil stones experience a bitter taste in the mouth.
Although tonsil stones are so common, few people visit a doctor because of it. Doctors can easily diagnose tonsil stones by looking at the tonsils carefully, or through endoscopy. There are also many people who are accidentally discovered during a CT scan of the head and neck because of oral or other diseases.
Tonssil stones on CT scan[3]
If you have any of the symptoms mentioned above, or if you find it by chance, you can always try the following solutions at home:
1. Regular mouthwash with salt water: This can relieve throat discomfort and foreign body sensation, relieve bad breath, and also help clear tonsil stones.
2. Use a soft object such as a cotton swab to pick out the tonsil stones. However, such an operation is more likely to scratch the tonsils or oral mucosa and is usually not recommended.
If none of these methods work, and tonsil stones are still recurring, which seriously affects your life, you can also choose to have your tonsils removed.
tonsillectomy
Before excision, however, an otolaryngologist should assess whether the criteria for tonsillectomy are met, starting with a determination that tonsil stones are the main cause of bad breath, or that tonsils are significantly enlarged and inflamed by repeated infections Cause sore throat.
It is very important to keep the mouth clean, such as brushing the teeth, brushing the surface of the tongue and flossing, and gargling with water or salt water after meals, so as to keep as little dirt as possible in the tonsil recesses, so as to reduce the amount of tonsils. The possibility of stone formation.
Although tonsil stones are not as painful as gallstones and ureteral stones, the discomfort caused by them, such as bad breath and foreign body sensation in the throat, can also affect daily life. Therefore, if you want to prevent tonsil stones, you should start with daily oral cleaning.
Contributing Author: Lloyd
Otolaryngology attending physician in a tertiary hospital
Reviewer: Zhiqiang Tan
Deputy Chief Physician of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Hunan Provincial People’s Hospital
References
[1]. Gurbuz, Ezgi et al. “Radiographic Detection of the Relationship Between Tonsilloliths and Dental Plaque-Related Pathologies in a Series of Digital Panoramic Radiographs.” Medical principles and practice : international journal of the Kuwait University, Health Science Centre, 10.1159/000521687. 28 Dec. 2021.
[2]. Yu Changliang, Tao Longxiang, Li Xiaohu, Yu Yongqiang, Liu Bin. Prevalence and CT diagnosis of tonsil stones[J]. Chinese Journal of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, 2017, 52(8 ):604-607.
[3]. Shikino, Kiyoshi, and Masatomi Ikusaka. “Tonsillolith.” Clinical case reports vol. 9,6 e04243. 22 Jun. 2021
Editors: Wei Luo, Guo Qian, Ye Zhengxing
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