Table of contents:
- The cause of the formation of tonsil stones
- Poor oral hygiene
- The structure of the tonsils is composed of many crypts
- Often experience tonsillitis
- Various symptoms of tonsil stones that need to be watched out for
- 1. Bad breath
- 2. Sore throat due to swelling
- 3. The presence of a white lump in the throat
- 4. Difficulty swallowing and ear pain
- How to get rid of tonsil stones
- 1. Laser tonsillectomy
- 2. Operation coblation tonsils
- 3. Tonsillectomy (surgical removal of the tonsils)
- How to treat tonsil stones at home
- 1. Use apple cider vinegar
- 2. Remove using cotton or fingers
- 3. Gargle salt water
- How to prevent tonsil stones from forming
If you see white spots on the left or right side of the esophagus, they could be tonsil stones. The cause of tonsil stones can come from food debris, dirt, and other materials that harden with calcium. In mild cases, this condition is usually not a health hazard. However, you may feel uncomfortable because there is a lump in your throat.
The cause of the formation of tonsil stones
The tonsils or tonsils are a pair of soft tissues found on the left and right side of the back of the throat. This network functions to ward off bacteria and viruses that enter the body through the throat. The surface of the tonsils is made up of many crevices and indentations called crypta.
Apart from inflammation of the tonsils (tonsillitis), there are other medical conditions that can interfere with the performance of the tonsils, namely tonsil stones or tonsillolits. The size of the stone can vary from a few millimeters to the size of a pea. Tonsilolits are yellowish white and stick to the tonsils.
In a study by The University of Iowa, it was explained that tonsillolits are formed from bacteria, food scraps, dirt, dead cells, and similar materials trapped in crypt. All this dirt then collects and multiplies.
The dirt that builds up over time settles and hardens in a process called calcification. Finally, a rock with a hard texture is formed. Tonsilolits can get trapped in the crypt and multiply.
There are several conditions and factors that can cause tonsil stones to form, namely:
Poor oral and dental hygiene can cause a lot of dirt and bacteria to build up and build up on the tonsils.
Even so, you are still at risk of developing this disease even though you are diligent in maintaining oral hygiene. The factors that increase the risk of tonsil stones can come from the structure of the tonsils themselves.
Tonsilolits can form more easily if you have large tonsils with lots of crypt. Stool is more easily trapped and accumulates in the tonsils, which have more grooves and crevices. This cause can cause tonsillolits to form repeatedly.
Inflammation due to bacterial or viral infection of the tonsils can make the tonsils swell so that they increase in size. This condition causes food, dirt, and bacteria to easily get trapped, then accumulate in the tonsils.
Various symptoms of tonsil stones that need to be watched out for
Initially, tonsillolits often have no symptoms (asymptomatic). However, as tonsil stones increase in size, the tonsils can swell and cause discomfort.
Apart from swollen tonsils, there are some typical symptoms that you may experience, such as:
1. Bad breath
Bad breath (halitosis) is a common symptom of tonsil stones. A study found that in patients who have chronic tonsillolits, it turns out to have sulfur compounds in their mouths. These sulfur substances can cause bad breath.
Of all the patients, 75 percent of people with high levels of sulfur compounds in their mouths have tonsillolits. Bacteria and mold that feed on rock piles secrete substances that make breath from your mouth smell bad.
2. Sore throat due to swelling
The presence of stones in the tonsils makes the throat feel blocked or painful when swallowing. You will likely have sore throat when the stone starts to get bigger.
When tonsillolitis and tonsillitis occur together, it can be difficult to determine whether the sore throat is due to infection or inflammation. Fortunately, gallstones that are asymptomatic are usually detected more easily because of inflammation of the tonsils.
3. The presence of a white lump in the throat
Tonsil stones look like solid lumps that are white or yellowish in color. The lump is visible in the back of the throat. However, there are also those that are easily visible, for example, in the folds of the tonsils.
In this case, tonsil stones will only be visible with the help of non-invasive scanning techniques, such as CT scans or magnetic resonance imaging.
4. Difficulty swallowing and ear pain
Swollen tonsils due to rocks can cause difficulty or pain when swallowing food and drinks. However, the onset of pain depends on the location or size of the tonsillolits.
Apart from difficulty swallowing, the patient can also feel pain in the ear. Although the rock that is formed does not directly touch the ear, throat and ear area have the same nerve pathways so that the pain can spread.
To confirm this disease, you need to consult further with a doctor. Later, the doctor will perform an examination to observe the symptoms.
How to get rid of tonsil stones
To remove tonsil stones, the doctor needs to remove them from the tonsils. Do not try to remove it yourself with any sharp tool or object.
If you carelessly remove the tonsilolits, you can damage the tonsil tissue as well as the blood vessels around it.
To remove tonsilolits, doctors will be able to perform the following treatments.
1. Laser tonsillectomy
In this laser surgery, the doctor will use a laser to remove tonsil stones. Afterward, the doctor will coat and repair the areas (not removing the tonsils completely).
Laser surgery is less risky than other tonsillectomy. This laser tonsillectomy does not require general anesthesia, does not have to remove the tonsils, reduces the risk of bleeding, heals faster and hurts less.
2. Operation coblation tonsils
This method of removing tonsilolits uses radio frequency energy and salt water to remove stones in the crevices of the tonsils.
This operation is also less risky than surgery to remove the tonsils. The laser used in surgery is also low temperature and risks such as bleeding are also not very high
3. Tonsillectomy (surgical removal of the tonsils)
However, tonsil stones can be difficult to remove using this method, usually occurring when the stones are too large and there is severe inflammation of the tonsils. Especially if this condition occurs repeatedly so that it has a big impact on decreasing your quality of life.
To overcome this, the doctor may perform surgery to remove the tonsils. This surgery can also pose a risk of complications such as bleeding and infection. After the tonsils are removed, there is likely to be severe pain in the throat for up to 2 weeks.
However, most tonsillectomy does not cause long-term problems and you can still live a healthy and normal life even if you no longer have tonsils.
Tonsil removal surgery is a major procedure and requires careful consideration. Therefore, make sure you have consulted your doctor first whether tonsil removal surgery is the right treatment for you.
How to treat tonsil stones at home
How to get rid of tonsilolits at home can only be done if the stones are small, and do not cause pain. Here are some tips you can try:
1. Use apple cider vinegar
Use 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and 1 cup of warm water, then gargle your throat. Do gargle with apple cider vinegar 3 times a day to loosen the tonsils so that the stones can come out easily.
2. Remove using cotton or fingers
If you can see stones in your tonsils in your throat, you can likely remove them with your fingers or a cotton ball.
To remove using fingers or cotton wool, you have to be careful. If your nails pierce your tonsils or your fingers get dirty, this can cause infection and make tonsil stones get bigger.
3. Gargle salt water
Salt water gargle can be an easy way to get rid of tonsillolits. The trick, add half a teaspoon of salt to a cup of warm water. Gargle the liquid in the throat for 10-15 minutes.
How to prevent tonsil stones from forming
However, you can reduce the risk by maintaining oral and dental hygiene. Routinely brush your teeth at least twice a day. Use dental floss to clean any food debris that is still stuck in the gaps of the teeth.
Then, clean all parts of your mouth with mouthwash. Prioritize gargling at the back of your throat, where tonsil stones form.
