Not following a regular, thorough and proper oral hygiene leads to a lot of complications. One of these problems is the development of tonsil stones. What are tonsil stones? These are accumulated food debris, other particles and bacteria that have reacted with saliva and attached to the inner walls of the throat. If not addressed immediately, these may lead to having a sore throat, bad breath and tonsillitis. Tonsil stones are also referred to as tonsilloliths.
Do tonsil stones bring health concerns to the body? Well, tonsil stones in fact do not pose a grave health threat to the body. However, since it is an accumulation of food particles that permits bacterial reaction, then it may cause other health problems if not immediately removed. In addition, tonsil stones bring pain and discomfort to the person who has it. Tonsillitis is also not directly a result of having tonsillolith but may seem to worsen it because the tissues are swollen and easily bruised.
There are many ways to prevent tonsil stones from developing and most of these are basic to proper oral care and hygiene. First on the list is regular and thorough brushing of the teeth. This is the most important part of oral care because you need to remove food debris and other particles from the mouth before resting for the night. The clear reason for this is to prevent bacterial reaction to occurs which speeds up as it react with saliva and the food debris stuck in the mouth. Some of these food debris may also be stuck behind the throat and therefore promote the development of tonsil stones.
Second tip for preventing the formation of tonsil stones is by drinking plenty of water. Each time you drink water, the food particles stuck in the throat will get flushed down. This will prevent the formation of stones because there will be minimal particles that will be stuck on your throat.
Third tip for preventing the formation of tonsil stones in your throat is by not drinking too much of sugary beverages. The sugar that will be stuck on the throat walls will attract bacteria to settle and react with saliva. This will become the foundation for tonsil stones and even a sore throat. Whenever you can’t avoid drinking sugary beverage, be sure to drink plenty of water to flush down the sugar and not get stuck in your throat.
Post nasal drip occurs when the sinuses become infected or swollen and will begin to produce excess mucus. When the excess mucus begins to run down the back of the throat, it often results to a cough that usually worsens at night. As the excess mucus reaches the tonsils, it may combine with the small particles or bits of food in the mouth. Adding anaerobic bacterium to the mix together with the calcification process, a tonsil stone undoubtedly develops.
Tonsil stones, also called tonsilollith in the medical field, are white spots that form on the tonsils. Another term called for this particular condition is cryptic tonsils. This is because these stones take root in the tonsil crypts, which are divots or pockets on the tonsils’ surface. Tonsil stones are basically packets of mucus coated food particles that become lodged in these crypts, just like how oyster secrets a substance around a grain of sand to make a pearl. When the mucus is released and combines around these food particles, it will in turn slightly solidifies around them.
The formation of white spots in the tonsils is not exactly hazardous in nature but they can trigger some health problems. Halitosis is one of the problems brought about by tonsil stones. This is a medical term used to describe noticeably unpleasant odors exhaled in breathing. The factors that can indicate if a person has tonsil stones is the problem in swallowing, continuous coughing, tendency to choke, and some throat related discomfort.
A lot of people do not realize that cutting back on the intake of dairy products can significantly reduce the production of mucus. Research has shown that out of 10 people, 7 of these are lactose intolerant and because of this, the body produces mucus which runs down the back of the throat. Removing dairy products from ones diet can significantly reduce the risk of the formation of tonsil stones and post nasal drip.
Having good oral health is needed when one wants to address the problem of tonsil stones. Brushing of the teeth at least twice a day, flossing and rinsing with a mouthwash can help remove the food particles and bacteria in the mouth that causes the formation of these stones. It is also recommended to use oxygenated toothpaste and mouthwash to help tonsil stones them because these have the capability to kill bacteria in the mouth. For severe cases of tonsil stones, one may consult the dentist so that they can find ways on how sorting out the cause of these stubborn stones and what remedies can help prevent these tonsil stones from forming on the mouth.
