Have you heard of tonsil stones before? Probably not, but for sure you have smelled them. Tonsil stones are tiny whitish-yellow clumps of bacteria, mucus and food debris which develop in the nooks and crannies of tonsils and emit a foul odor we call halitosis or bad breath. Brushing and flossing alone will not cure this type of bad breath, but these home remedies will remove tonsil stones and cure bad breath.
Symptoms of Tonsil Stones
Tonsils stones can grow to the size of peas and cause a variety of minor maladies besides bad breath and could be the culprit behind some of your throat and ear complaints.
Symptoms of tonsil stones include: Metallic taste in the mouth. Frequent urge to cough. Feeling like food is stuck in the throat. Throat soreness and/or difficulty swallowing. Swollen tonsils and/or ear pain, if the stone is pressing on a nerve.
Crunchy Vegetables Remove Tonsil Stones
Munching on raw, crunchy foods like celery, carrots and cucumbers will help dislodge tonsil stones and send them on through the digestive system. The tough strands of fiber in raw, crunchy vegetables act like mini toothbrushes and brush the stones out of the hiding places within the folds of the tonsils.
Dissolve Tonsil Stones with Vinegar Gargle
Calcium is the building block of the odoriferous tonsil stones and vinegar will dissolve the calcium. Gargle once a day with a mixture of one tablespoon of vinegar and one-fourth cup of warm water to dissolve the stones and prevent them from re-forming. Regular gargling with vinegar can also help prevent colds and flu by killing the germs which cause the viruses before they settle in the body.
Clean Nasal Passages
Chronic post nasal drip fuels the growth of tonsil stones, cleaning out the nasal passages can stop the post nasal drip, wash away tonsil stones and prevent their re-growth. A daily nasal irrigation with a saline solution will do the trick. If nasal irrigation is not for you, use a saline nasal spray once a day to clean away to stones.
Eat Probiotic Yogurt
Tonsil stones are packed with sulfur producing bacteria, that’s why they smell so bad, probiotic yogurt is loaded with ‘good’ bacteria which will crowd out the ‘bad’ odor causing bacteria. Probiotic yogurt also helps keep the digestive system working smoothly. Choose a sugar-free probiotic yogurt to eat because sugar fuels the growth of tonsil stones.