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Believe it or not, many people who have tonsil stones don’t even realize it because they’re unaware of the symptoms. Tonsil stones often come with a variety of symptoms making them a troublesome problem to deal with.
So, what are the symptoms of tonsil stones? Tonsil stone symptoms include bad breath, bad taste in mouth, white debris on tonsils, itchy ears, itchy throat, ear pain, throat pain, swollen tonsils, difficulty swallowing and coughing.
Keep reading for a more detailed explanation of the symptoms of tonsil stones.
What Are Tonsil Stones?
Tonsil stones, or Tonsilloliths, are debris and bacteria that become trapped in the crypts of tonsils where they harden or calcify (WebMD).
Our tonsils are covered in small pockets and flaps called the tonsil crypts. They are a natural part of the human anatomy.
But unfortunately, bacteria, food particles and other debris can become trapped in the tonsil crypts very easily. The bacteria and debris accumulate in the tonsil crypts, thus forming tonsil stones over time.
Tonsil Stones Symptoms:
Bad Breath
Bad breath is the #1 most common and undesirable symptom of tonsil stones! Tonsil stones are essentially a ball of accumulated bacteria. This, more often than not, causes them to have a very bad, strong smell. Although tonsil stones are usually quite small, the smell can be so strong that they can have a big effect on how your breath smells!
It’s possible to have tonsil stones that don’t emit such a foul smell. The strength of the tonsil stone’s odor varies greatly from person to person. But in general, most people who have tonsil stones experience the bad breath symptom.
Bad Taste In Mouth
One of the common symptoms of tonsil stones is a metallic/sulfuric taste in the mouth. The bacteria that makes up tonsil stones is sulfur-producing, causing the taste one may experience when they have tonsil stones.
Since the tonsils are located quite far back in the mouth, the taste will seem as if it’s coming from the back of the throat/base of the tongue.
Both the foul smell and taste of tonsil stones intensifies when the stones are crushed. Because of this, the bad taste of tonsil stones may become more apparent when you swallow as the movement near the tonsils may squish/crush the stones while swallowing.
White Debris on Tonsils
Visible white debris on the tonsils is the easiest way of knowing whether or not you have tonsil stones. Tonsil stones appear as small, rock-like structures that have a white, off-white or yellowish color.
To check for this tonsil stone symptom: open your mouth and say “Ahhh!”. Shine a light into your mouth and look in the mirror. You may see one or more white stone-like accumulations on your tonsils. Those are tonsil stones!
It should be noted that tonsil stones are not always visible as they can sometimes form too deep within the tonsil crypts to be seen. Tonsil stones that are deep in the crypts may eventually make their way out and become visible over time.
Itchy Ears and/or Throat
Ear and throat problems are often related to one another due to the connection between the ears and throat. Because of this, symptoms in the throat/tonsil area may also be felt within the ears.
Since tonsils are quite fragile, tonsil stones can easily irritate the tonsils causing an itchy feeling in the throat and/or deep within the ear.
Ear and/or Throat Pain
For the same reason that tonsil stones may cause itchy ears and/or throat, they may cause ear and/or throat pain as well.
Tonsil stones can irritate, damage or cut the tonsil flesh causing pain or discomfort in the throat. This pain or discomfort may also be felt in the ear.
Swollen Tonsils
Tonsil stones can cause swollen tonsils for a few reasons. If a tonsil stone becomes too big, the tonsil will likely become swollen due to the tonsil stone’s size.
Some people can also experience swelling if they have multiple tonsil stones in the same tonsil. The size of the tonsil stones combined may be too large for the tonsil to hold, causing the swelling.
Tonsil stones also have the potential to cause swelling by damaging the tonsils. The flesh of tonsils is very delicate, so if a tonsil stone is large or jagged/sharp, it may cut or damage the tonsil thus causing it to swell up.
Difficulty Swallowing
Generally, tonsil stones are too small to cause any issues with swallowing. But in some cases, they can cause difficulty swallowing depending on the size, shape or amount of tonsil stones a person has.
A person with large, sharp or many tonsil stones may feel as if they are unable to fully swallow. They may also feel pain or discomfort caused by the tonsil stone(s) while swallowing.
Coughing and/or Gagging
Coughing and/or gagging is a common symptom of tonsil stones due to the sensation of having something “foreign” stuck in the throat.
A person with tonsil stones may involuntarily or voluntarily cough in attempt to relieve the feeling of having something stuck in the throat. They may also involuntarily gag if the tonsil stone triggers the gag reflex.
Since tonsil stones aren’t talked about openly very often, people sometimes mistake the feeling of having a tonsil stone with having a hair or piece of food stuck in the throat.
Preventing Tonsil Stones
Tonsil stones can be prevented in a number of different ways! Certain remedies or products work better for some people than it does for others, so it takes a little bit of experimenting to find the best way to prevent tonsil stones for every individual.
But from my (and many other tonsil stone-sufferers) experience, the easiest, quickest and best way to prevent tonsil stones is by keeping the tonsils as clean as possible. This can be done by cleansing the tonsils with a water flosser.
A water flosser can be used to clean out bacteria, debris and existing tonsil stones from the tonsils. This is done by irrigating the tonsil crypts with a gentle stream of water carried out by the water flosser.
It’s a very effective way to both remove and prevent tonsil stones.
Water Flosser:
Click HERE to see the Waterpik Water Flosser
Click HERE to see the travel-friendly Waterpik Advanced Cordless Water Flosser
You can read about this tonsil stone prevention method in detail here:
How To Get Rid Of Tonsil Stones
Diet:
Some people find that making changes to their diet cures and prevents their tonsil stones. The most common ways that people combat tonsil stones with diet is by cutting back on dairy, sugar and processed foods.
Tonsil stones love dry spaces, so it’s also very important to stay hydrated if you want to prevent tonsil stones. Be sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day. In addition, replacing processed foods with fruits and veggies that have high amounts of water will help keep you hydrated throughout the day.
Oral Rinse:
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A good quality oral rinse may be the answer to your tonsil stone troubles!
When searching for a good oral rinse, try to find one that is oxygenating and alcohol-free. Tonsil stone bacteria cannot thrive in oxygen environments, so an oxygenating mouthwash can help kill bad breath and prevent the growth of tonsil stone bacteria.
Oral rinses with alcohol should be avoided because alcohol dries out the mouth, and tonsil stones love dry environments!
Lifestyle Changes:
Smoking, vaping and/or drinking alcohol is often linked to tonsil stones, so it may be a good idea to cut back or quit if you think either activity is causing your tonsil stones.
Alcohol tends to dry out the mouth, creating a good environment for tonsil stone bacteria to form. In order to prevent tonsil stones, you should try to stay as hydrated as possible!
Smoking/Vaping: Some people find that smoking and/or vaping causes them to get tonsil stones without fail. If you’re an avid smoker or vapor who’s tired of tonsil stones, try cutting back to see if your tonsil stones slow down or go away completely!
There are plenty of ways you could potentially prevent tonsil stones and I’ve written about them in detail on my website. Check out these articles for more information:
How To Get Rid Of Tonsil Stones
How To Prevent Tonsil Stones with Diet