What Causes Tonsil Stones?
 | Tonsil Stones Treatment - Tonsil stones are the accumulation of the undesirable substances formed over time in your tonsil crevices which are white in color and produce a foul odor. These substances may consist of dead white blood cells, mucous, bacteria, post nasal drip and other foreign objects. The collection of these substances is actually a normal process. Essentially, your lymphatic system is like a garbage disposal route. As the lymph fluid passes through your organs and cells, it collects all the unwanted materials such as dead cells and bacteria. Your lymph fluid also contains a huge amount of white blood cells which kill the bacteria or foreign objects in the lymph fluid. The lymph fluid will then pass through the lymph nodes which act as a filter. Your tonsils are essentially lymph nodes. As these substances pass through the lymph nodes, they are separated or filtered from the lymph fluid and stored as “garbage” in the lymph nodes, that is, your tonsils. Usually, in ordinary circumstances, the “garbage” stored will be dislodged automatically and be disposed of via your rear exit or sometimes your mouth. However, when your body overproduces this “garbage”, your lymph fluid will be carrying an excess amount of it and while your tonsils will work its best to filter and dispose of it, often they will swell up. This is a sign of overworking tonsils, and is a symptom of the formation of tonsil stones. As the amount of garbage collected exceeds its disposal rate, they are unable to be disposed of in time. As time progresses, more and more of this garbage is collected in your tonsil crevices and only the top layer is disposed of. After some time, they will harden and become tonsil stones. As can be expected, these stones, like garbage, will emit a very horrible smell. The causes of tonsil stones are many, but one major factor would be bad oral hygiene. If you’re not practicing good oral hygiene such as brushing your teeth, flossing or using mouthwash, it follows that the bacteria or leftover food particles will start to decay and multiply in your mouth and tonsil area. After a while, your tonsils will be overworking to get rid of these undesirable substances, and this will lead to the formation of tonsil stones in your mouth. There are other theories out there such as the passing of the condition through kissing, but that is highly unlikely, as this requires the stones to dislodge themselves while kissing and passing through to the other person’s mouth and lodging themselves into the tonsils. Nevertheless, the best way to prevent tonsil stones from forming is to practice excellent oral hygiene. Brush and floss regularly, preferably after every meal. |
