Today I Found Out what those foul smelling, small, white-ish, chunks that you can sometimes feel at the back of your throat when you swallow are. They’re called Tonsilloliths or Tonsil Stones.
Although most people experience these little white balls at the back of the throat that often get coughed up into the mouth, this widespread affliction is rarely talked about and the awareness about it very low. Many suffer in silence believing that their alone or the occurrence is nothing more than dregs of last night’s dinner. Another reason people don’t dispense with their problem of tonsil stones is because they are embarrassingly nasty and foul smelling!
Tonsilloliths, also known as tonsil stones are stinky little globs of mucus, dead cells, debris and bacteria that form in the tonsil crypts which are simply small pockets or divots that appear in everyone’s tonsils. When the trapped dead cells, mucus, and debris harden or calcify, they form white/yellow ball in the tonsil pockets. They usually appear as tiny little chunks in the shape of cauliflower and smell like they could wake up your dead grandma.
The strong unpleasant odor is caused by a build-up of sulfur-producing bacteria that feeds on the tonsil stones collected in the crypts of the tonsils and is a combination of hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan, and other stinky substances that form in it. Tonsil stones can range from a size of a small peppercorn to a rather large size causing discomfort in the throat and in some cases uncomfortable side effects, including sore throat and ear pain and tonsillitis. It is also believed to be one of the reasons for Halitosis (bad breath).
Tonsil stones are fairly common in adults and children. However, they tend to occur most often in people who suffer from chronic inflammation in their tonsils or repeated bouts of tonsillitis. Studies have shown that people who have had their tonsils removed, under most circumstances, almost never experience tonsil stones.
There are some effective treatments for reducing the occurrence of tonsil stones. Removing one’s tonsils is an option, but not the best solution as tonsils play a role in the immune system and are meant to function like nets, trapping incoming bacteria and virus particles that are passing through your throat. Easy home treatments like gargling salt water, or non-alcohol mouthwash is often advised for getting rid of tonsiloliths. A water pick that emits powerful pulses of water is also a useful tool for clearing the tonsil crypts. The simplest solution is to use a cotton swab or toothbrush so you can push the nasty little things out and rinse your mouth free of them.
Bonus factoids:
- There are about 9,000 taste buds on the surface of the tongue, in the throat, and on the roof of the mouth. Taste buds contain chemoreceptors that respond to chemicals from food and other substances that are dissolved by the saliva in the mouth.
- Your mouth produces 1 liter (1.8 pints) of saliva a day. We each produce about 10,000 gallons of saliva in a lifetime. Saliva is required for taste—until food is dissolved by saliva, we cannot taste it.
- The average American eats 50 tonnes of food and drinks 50,000 liters (11,000 gallons) of liquid during his life. It also takes food seven seconds to go from the mouth to the stomach via the esophagus.
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I’ve had this for years and didn’t realize it was so common. I’ve always called them ‘Throat Pearls’
haha i always thought they were popcorn kernals!!! haha
Glad it normal to an extent and not crazy disease or like your brain is slowly dissolving and seeping through the cracks lol.
I’m only 12 and I’ve been getting these for years… I’m glad it’s normal
I always thought they were little chunks of peanuts.
Glad to know! Just started getting them! There are so many of them that I’ve dug out… I’m surprised my suite-mate hasn’t accused me of being bulimic yet!
I’ve been getting those for years and I’m also very prone to having strep ….. those things stink sooo bad
I have had these for years, my daughter calls me dog breath
oh… That explains a lot…. I’m just glad its normal.
oh thank God I’ve been getting these things for a while now glad its not nothing serious my cousin told me it was dookie Lmaooo that’s how bad it smells
I didn’t know what I was coughing up and when I would smell it to find out, I damn near passed out. They smell terrible but I’m glad it isn’t anything serious.
I’d had these for years , but didn’t know what they were and I’m glad it’s normal. Some of these comments crack me up !(‘:
I get strep throat and ear infections all the time. Then I went to see an ENT doctor and he told me about tonsilloliths and I learn to cough it out every week and for two years I never had another throat infection! Hope this helps!
I have been trying to figure out what these gross little things were for YEARS! They make my breath smell SO bad, but no matter how much I brushed, flossed, or scraped my tongue, I couldn’t get the smell to go away….now I know why! They’re stuck in my tonsils….so now I have to get buy a water pick or try to brush my tonsils….I don’t even know where my tonsils are! LOL!
To remove them, I used to use a cotton swab or a toothpick. But now I just wash my hands and use my index finger to remove it. It is quick and easy for me. I get it like once or twice a year.
I have pains in my stomach I just always thought that was the cause ! I wanna get rid of them for good!
Have dealt with these for years. I just use a dull tarter scraper (the hooked kind – not as scary as it seems) and pop those things out every morning. If I don’t, they will build up and be nasty. Just be real careful. It’s become routine. Have had tonsillitis at least 3-4 times in my life, they should be taken out!
I use to get those as a teenager- but I also got Tonsilitis ALOT too. As soon as I got my tonsils out- no more!
I’ve had these since I was 10 years old. I am now 21. And I just stick my finger against my tonsils and push them out. They do stink. Luckily they don’t effect my breath. I just knew when I was younger that it had something to do with cancer. Lol. Luckily I’m not the only one. Hello fellow peers who share the same weird nuisance I do..lol.