If you are an individual suffering from bad breath, you probably have tonsil stones or tonsilloliths. Many people may not know this, but these are the major cause of the foul odor of breath, and may not realize that they already have this problem. Tonsil stones are grayish, whitish, or yellowish calcified materials that form in the crypts or pockets of the tonsils and are oftentimes odorous. They look like tiny specks on the tonsils and are made out of a combination of skin cells, mucous, bacteria, and mineral excretions from the tonsils.

Although these tonsil stones are generally harmless, they can cause infection of the throat and irritability. They will develop and grow in the tonsils and you can remove them yourself though they just fall out eventually. It is recommended that these tonsil stones must be eliminated as soon as possible as they are directly associated to having bad breath or halitosis. Studies have shown that most people with bad breath have the presence of these stones inside their oral cavities.

Tonsils are body parts designed naturally to detain bacteria from getting in the mouth and inside the body. But bacteria can mingle with the food we eat, go inside the tonsils and harden, forming the tonsil stones. A tonsillolith can form when pockets in the tonsils collect food, drainage, and other debris. These materials eventually harden and calcify and will later cause infection and irritation. Individuals with tonsils of bigger pockets are more susceptible to the growth of tonsil stones. Generally, tonsilloliths are not considered a serious condition, so that few researches have been done to record how often these stones occur in humans.

No one can definitely tell why tonsilloliths occur. There are some people who have awful diets, poor hygiene habits, and never exercise but don’t get a single tonsil stone in their lifetime. There are also those who are religious in eating the right foods, brush and floss regularly, and do everything right yet can’t get rid of their tonsil stones. Tonsilloliths greatly affect our social lives and make a significant impact on the quality of our living, since they are the major cause of severe bad breath. But getting rid of the tonsilloliths can often cure all of your bad breath.

There are some ways of minimizing the occurrence of these tonsil stones especially if you want to get rid of the bad breath that goes with them. Although these are not that dangerous, these must be removed because of the infection and irritation that they may cause you. The stones can easily be removed with the use of special products, by picking them out with the use of toothbrush, cotton swabs, or Q-tips, or by going to your doctor to have your tonsils removed if the stones get too bothersome. If your tonsils have already been removed through tonsillectomy, there is no fear of getting tonsilloliths anymore.