Tonsil Stones? Learn something new every day!

[fustercluck]

Gross thread, beware!

Everyone once in a while I get these really gross little greenish-white things stuck in the back pockets of my mouth, near the tonsils. They are hard to get rid of and when you finally hack em' up it's quite a relief. They also have a really horrible odor.

Now, I never knew if everyone got these things or just me but I just did some googling and found out these horrible little balls of bacteria go by a couple of names, Tonsil stones and Tonsiloliths. Stones is a bad term because they are not solid at all. I referred to them as "dough balls" for many years because I had found they occur much more after eating something really bready, like pizza.

Does anyone else get those things?

Here's an article about them (no pictures, thank god) and an older anandtech thread about them.

Waterpik seems to be the go-to tool for dislodging them. I'm gonna go pick one up if this current "tonsil stone" is still stuck in my craw tomorrow. Also a tongue cleaner/scraper looks like a good choice, as i've read these things start to form on the back of your tongue.

 

[OverVolt]

Yea a family member got one. Its freaky.

 

[Jeff7]

- Spray throat with anesthetic Sore Throat Spray to reduce gag reflex.
- Use a cotton swab to apply pressure immediately next to the tonsilith, squeezing it out of the pore.
- Attempt to extract the loose gob from the back of your throat without throwing up.


Yeah, they suck.
They show up about every 1-2 months for me.

 

[brainhulk]

oh yeah, i save mine in tupperware

 

[edro]

I have had ~5 over the years. I think most of them popped out when I sneezed. After the sneeze, I felt a "dough ball" in my mouth.
Spit it out, crushed it, wondered what it was, smelled it, ACK!

 

[acheron]

I remain glad I got my tonsils removed.

 

[manimal]

Sucks OP. I get salivary gland stones from Shogrins disease and passing those trough the gland and ducts feels about as good as you can imagine.

 

[HydroSqueegee]

i get them every so often. when i read they have a smell i thought that was odd. smashed one up before and it didnt smell like anything. maybe my nose is busted.

 

[Maximilian]

Oh man... these things...

I had a sore throat ~3 years ago and it wouldn't go away, so eventually i have a look and i see this white thing so i poke it with a qtip and to my surprise it came loose, i thought it was a lump or spot in a weird place or something, i was grossed the fuck out, it smelled like death. I prodded the pink thing near where it came out (tonsil i guess) and there was a ton of them in there!!

Dont know why or wtf happened to cause all that. Rarely get them now, every now and again ill have at my tonsil with a qtip but usually nothing comes out.

I envy those who got their tonsils removed...

 

[SearchMaster]

I used to get them as a teenager (maybe early 20s). Other than the smell they never bothered me and I never noticed them unless they came loose in my mouth (no homo). I can't remember the last time I've had one though.

 

[ShadowOfMyself]

Same as above post, I used to get them a lot a few years ago/pre-20, but now I rarely do... Not sure what changed and why they stopped appearing, but yeah

 

[TwiceOver]

I've always referred to them as Tonsil Cheese.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

i hear their great on toast or pizza....

 

[phreaqe]

I get them all the time and it sucks because it makes my breath stink. I mouthwash and all that crap but these things override the mouthwash after a little bit. I have been very tempted to get my tonsils removed to stop them because i could pop some out every few weeks.

 

[Agent11]

This is a disgusting thread. I have never had nor heard of such a thing and can only come to the conclusion that you are all some sort of grotesque mutants.

Precursory venom glands? Hives of symbiotic organisms?
https://www.google.com/search?q=pos...29,d.cGE&fp=2560e5fae4894631&biw=1920&bih=955

 

[darkewaffle]

In elementary school we knew them affectionately as "hockers" due to the charming sound one makes when attemping to "hock" them up/out.

I haven't had one recently but every now and then. I used to notice them more often when I slept with a fan and would wake up with dry mouth.

 

[Fritzo]

I used to get them when I had severe allergy issues. I've gotten them under control, but every so often a foul-smelling yellowish white meteor would fly from my throat during a coughing fit

Again..all better now BTW, people that have a problem with this need to get on a regiment of omeprazole and Claritin. Acid reflux + post nasal drip seem to be a big contributor. This cured the constant tickle in my throat.

 

[Fritzo]

oh yeah, i save mine in tupperware

That's spatzle. Don't try to permanently scar something delicious in my head :|

 

[fustercluck]

Again..all better now BTW, people that have a problem with this need to get on a regiment of omeprazole and Claritin. Acid reflux + post nasal drip seem to be a big contributor. This cured the constant tickle in my throat.

Ahhh interesting, I think you're onto something. I've always had horrible allergies, and I get that thing where I gotta clear my throat a bunch. I did a two week course of omeprazole a couple months ago, the treatment didn't work nearly as well as it did the first time, a couple of years ago.

 

[Printer Bandit]

 

[NFS4]

VOMIT! Ugh!

 

[Mixolydian]

Disgusting indeed!

Thankfully I have never experienced this/these.

 

[lupi]

Never had them and recently had the tonsils cut, so should be in the clear now.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

I have had ~5 over the years. I think most of them popped out when I sneezed. After the sneeze, I felt a "dough ball" in my mouth.
Spit it out, crushed it, wondered what it was, smelled it, ACK!

thats why they should be called "tongue truffles"

 

[quikah]

I get them once in a while. I have found just jamming my finger back there is the easiest way to dislodge them.

I had to go to an ENT once as somehow some tissue had grown over one trapping it in place.