How to Treat Tonsil Stones At Home

Tonsil stones are a collection of minerals that solidify on the surface of the tonsils. The size of the tonsil stones is generally the size of a pebble and is yellowish white in color. Although not dangerous, the appearance of tonsil stones can cause bad breath and pain in the mouth and throat area. To overcome the complaints of tonsil stones, you can handle them at home. However, before that you must know how to treat tonsil stones at home properly.

Tonsil stones can be experienced by anyone who still has tonsils, which are the pads of tissue found on both sides of the back of the mouth. The frequency of the appearance of tonsil stones is quite diverse. Some people can experience it repeatedly and some even have more than one tonsil stones.

Causes of Tonsil Stones

Tonsil stones can form due to the buildup of bacteria, dead skin cells, plaque in the mouth, food debris, and saliva, in the cracks on the surface of the tonsils. Over time, these piles can settle and become solid, like rock.

There are several conditions that can cause tonsils to form, including:

1. The structure of the tonsils has a gap

When the tonsils have many gaps, the dirt in the mouth can get caught easily. Over time the dirt can settle and harden into tonsil stones.

2. Lack of dental and oral care

If you are lazy to keep your teeth and mouth clean, then various bacteria and dirt will accumulate and over time can form tonsil stones.

3. Experiencing tonsillitis repeatedly

Generally, people who often experience tonsillitis will experience enlargement of the size of the tonsils. Due to the enlargement of the tonsils, bacteria and food debris will be easier to stick and settle in the tonsils. This can affect the formation of tonsil stones.

How to Recognize Tonsil Stones

How to know if have tonsil stones can be by opening your mouth wide in front of a mirror, then see if on the back of the tonsils there are lumps or a prominent layer of yellowish white. These tonsil stones can be chewy or hard textured. If you don't see the lump, it doesn't mean you are free from tonsil stones. Some tonsil stones can also be so small that they cannot be seen with the naked eye.

Therefore you need to observe some of the following symptoms of tonsil stones:

• Bad breath for no apparent reason.
• Frequent sore throat and does not go away.
• Cough constantly.
• Discomfort, because it feels like something is stuck in the back of the mouth.
• Difficult to swallow food.
• Ear pain.

If you experience these symptoms, you may have tonsil stones.

How to Get Rid Tonsil Stones At Home

If the tonsil stones that you experience continue to cause discomfort, then you can do how to get rid of tonsil stone at home. Here's how you can do it:

1. Push using a cotton swab or finger

If the tonsil stones are visible and reachable, then try gently pushing them with your fingers or a cotton swab to lift and remove them. Do not pry the tonsil stones using a rough or sharp tool, such as a toothbrush or toothpick, as this can cause sores and infection of the tonsils.

2. Gargle

Try gargling vigorously, as the pressure of the water can help push the tonsil stones to lift and remove them. In addition to gargling using plain water, to be more effective you can also rinse using mouthwash or salt water. Salt water is efficacious to help eliminate bad breath due to this condition.

3. Cough On Purpose

The push that occurs when you cough can help soften and release tonsil stones. Therefore, try to cough a few times on purpose quite loudly. However, if these efforts don't work, don't keep forcing yourself to cough, because you risk injuring your throat which can trigger inflammation.

If the tonsil stones are too large and cause persistent complaints, how do you treat tonsil stones at home? You should consult a doctor to get the right treatment. The doctor may perform minor surgery to remove the tonsil stones.

Also read articles about: How to Treat Tonsils in Child At Home

So that tonsil stones do not appear again, you can take some preventive measures, namely routinely brushing your teeth 2 times a day and regularly using mouthwash. In addition, you should also avoid bad habits that can interfere with oral health, such as smoking and consuming alcohol. Thus an explanation of how to treat tonsil stones at home, hopefully it can be useful.