8 Reasons Why You’re Suddenly Getting Tonsil Stones

This content uses affiliate links. Read our disclaimer for more info.

 

You’re living your life as you normally do and suddenly you start suffering from mysterious tonsil stones…

It can be concerning, annoying and, not to mention, pretty gross. Even though tonsil stones are nothing to worry about; you probably want to know what’s causing them.

Want to get rid of tonsil stones no matter what’s causing them? Skip to the end of the post for a list of top recommended products.

Here are 8 reasons why you may be suddenly getting tonsil stones out of nowhere:

 

1. You’re Eating/Drinking Too Much of Something

Certain foods are more likely to cause tonsil stones than others. If you’re suddenly getting tonsil stones, it may be because you’ve gotten into the habit if eating or drinking a little bit too much of a tonsil stone-causing food/drink.

I talked about some of the most common foods and drinks that cause tonsil stones here- How To Prevent Tonsil Stones With Diet. They include dairy, sugar, alcohol and more.

However, it should be noted that the cause of tonsil stones varies among individuals, so they may be caused by a different food/drink than the ones I talked about in that article.

 

2. You’re Dealing With Allergies

It’s likely that you have excess mucus and/or post-nasal drip as a result of your allergies. Mucus is actually one the main “ingredients” that make up tonsil stones; so it makes sense that tonsil stones often correlate with allergies. 

Fortunately, tonsil stones caused by allergies are relatively easy to prevent if you can get your allergies and mucus production under control.

If you’re having a hard time finding an allergy remedy, gargling warm salt water and utilizing humidifiers may help loosen up the mucus and prevent tonsil stones while waiting for allergy season to be over.

 

3. You Have A Cold, The Flu or Another Illness.

Similar to allergies; a cold, the flu or other illnesses may be causing you to have excess mucus and/or post-nasal drip which can contribute to the formation of tonsil stones.

All of the mucus stuck in the back of the throat has easy access to the tonsils, allowing the mucus to make its way to the tonsil crypts and accumulate quickly.

Due to this, some people may find that they’re hacking up tonsil stones every time they get sick. 

Your best bet to avoid getting tonsil stones while you’re sick is to try to keep your sinuses as clear as possible. Utilize warm salt water gargles, humidifiers, decongestants and anything else that will loosen up your mucus.

 

4. You Changed Up Your Diet

As stated before, certain foods or drinks are more likely to cause tonsil stones than others. This means that your sudden tonsil stones may be due to a new food or drink you’ve introduced to your diet (even if you’ve only tried it once!).

In this case, the best way to prevent getting tonsil stones is by pin-pointing which food or drink caused you to get tonsil stones and simply avoid it.

You can read about some of the most common tonsil stone-causing foods and drinks here, but remember that the food or drink causing your tonsil stones may not be listed in that article. The food/drink cause behind tonsil stones varies so much between individuals that it’s impossible for me to give you a completely solid list (although I wish I could!).

 

5. You Smoke

Many people have noticed a correlation between smoking and getting tonsil stones. This is not exclusive to cigarettes. Hookah, vaporizers, marijuana and other things that can be smoked can also cause tonsil stones.

This could be due to a couple of reasons. It may be because of excess mucus production/post-nasal drip caused by smoking. It could also simply be that the ingredients in what you’re smoking don’t react well with you in terms of tonsil stones.

If you think your tonsil stones are caused by smoking, try quitting, cutting back or switching up the products you use to see if it has any effect on your tonsil stones. Gargling or cleaning the tonsils after smoking may help as well.

 

6. You Drink Alcohol

Both dry mouth and sugar are big contributors to tonsil stones. Being a diuretic, dry mouth is a very common side effect of drinking alcohol. In addition, alcoholic beverages often contain a lot of sugar.

If you think your sudden tonsil stones are caused by alcohol, try to put a limit on how much you drink or avoid alcohol altogether.

You can also try staying as hydrated as possible while enjoying your alcoholic beverages. Take sips of water often to prevent dry mouth and be sure to gargle once you’re done drinking alcohol to help wash away the sugar.

 

7. You Don’t Clean Your Tongue

The tongue can hold a lot of bacteria, so sudden tonsil stones could be caused by lack of tongue cleaning. While brushing your teeth, gently brush your tongue with your tooth brush to remove bacteria, or better yet, use a tongue scraper!

Tongue scrapers are very effective for cleaning the tongue and can be used daily. Here’s one that I recommend: Click to see on Amazon

You may also find that you get a significant improvement in how your breath smells once you start cleaning your tongue regularly.

 

8. Your Tonsils Have Become Cryptic Over Time

Tonsils have little pockets and folds on them called “tonsil crypts”. This is natural and nothing to worry about. However, tonsils can continue to develop these folds and pockets over time, covering a majority of the tonsil with little holes. This is known as cryptic tonsils.

People with cryptic tonsils have a high likelihood of developing tonsil stones due to the increased potential for bacteria, mucus and debris to become trapped within the crypts.

Although cryptic tonsils can be difficult to deal with, it doesn’t mean that you’ll have tonsil stones forever! It just means that you’ll have to put a little more work into keeping your tonsils clean.

 

---

Top Products For Getting Rid Of Tonsil Stones:

Waterpik Water Flosser: Safely and easily remove tonsil stones with a water flosser. Point the water flosser at the crevices where the tonsils tones are located. The steady stream of water will dislodge the tonsil stones and cleanse the area (learn more here).

TheraBreath 24-Hour Oral Rinse: Oxygenating daily mouth wash that helps fight tonsil stone and bad-breath causing bacteria.

TheraBreath Deluxe Tonsil Stone Kit: A dentist-created kit that has everything you need to fight against tonsil stones.

Airgoesin Tonsil Stone Removal Tool Kit: A kit that comes with a light up tool that’ll help you easily locate and dislodge tonsil stones.

Tongue Scraper: Remove bacteria and bad breath causing residue that lives on the surface of the tongue.

---

RELATED POST: How To Get Rid Of Tonsil Stones

---