If you’re like me, you probably tried many things when searching for a cure for tonsil stones only to be frustrated by a lack of actionable information. There are many articles by big name health sites that speak in platitudes with wishy washy language, and it’s always the same:
Talk to your doctor if removing tonsil stones is right for YOU!
Sigh..I wish they would just give a clear answer. So I’m going to do just that, because I’ve been dealing with stones for years now and have learned a thing or two.
Is there a cure for tonsil stones? The most common location for stones is the palatine tonsils (back of mouth). Unfortunately the only lasting cure will be invasive surgery via Tonsillectomy or Coblation Cryptolysis (preferred). However, treatment methods are listed below for prevention and immediate relief.
For most people, invasive surgery isn’t much of an option (especially adults who aren’t able to take much time off work). It’s extremely painful and unnecessary if you follow my tonsil stone prevention and treatment tips below.
In this article you’re going to learn:
- What causes tonsil stones
- How to prevent them
- How to treat tonsil stones at home
- What tools I recommend
Quick Summary
| Preview | Product | Shop |
|---|---|---|
  | Upgraded 7.1" Tonsil Stone Remover Tool with LED Light Pick | Amazon |
  | Low PSI Water Flosser | Amazon |
  | TheraBreath Oxygenating Fresh Breath Oral Rinse | Amazon |
  | Chloraseptic Max Strength Sore Throat Spray | Amazon |
 | Naturewise Probiotics w/ K12 & M18 Cultures | Naturewise |
What Creates Tonsil Stones
Much like the birds and the bees, tonsil stones are created when debris get captured within the crypts of your tonsils. Since tonsils are part of your immune system, this debris is treated as a foreign invader and attacked by your white blood cells.
And thus, a stone is born.
But there is more to this story than simply getting debris stuck in your throat. Some of the things found in tonsil stones include:
- Salt
- Calcium
- Food Debris
- Parabens
- Cells from the body
- Particles from cells outside of the body
- Plastic beads and hard materials found in toothpaste
None of these things are necessarily a problem on their own, except for one thing: anaerobic bacteria.
This is what makes tonsil stones smell so horrible and cause nauseatingly bad breath, and why brushing your teeth isn’t going to help much if you don’t remove both the stone AND kill the “bad” bacteria.
This type of bacteria thrives in an oxygen depleted environment, which is exactly the type of conditions found within the crypts of your tonsils. Things that can make tonsil stones worse include:
- Oral Hygiene
- Diet
- Allergies
- Pollution – that is where the parabens come from
- Inflammation
- A reduced immune system
- Xerostomia – Dry Mouth Syndrome
- Desalinated water
How To Prevent Tonsil Stones
Now that we know a little more about what causes tonsil stones and where they most commonly occur, we can now implement different prevention strategies depending on your situation.
Diet
For some people, a small change in their diet can be very effective in preventing the formation of tonsil stones. For others, this can be a big disruption to your lifestyle. The good news is that there aren’t any special recipes you need to learn about. Instead, just follow these tips:
- Keeping your mouth hydrated is essential for lubrication and killing anaerobic bacteria, but there are also some foods you should avoid.
- Processed foods that are high in nitrates, nuts, and other foods that are high in oxalates will cause stones to form more easily within your tonsils, thus they should be avoided.
- Dietary probiotics will help control anaerobic bacteria, so eat plenty of them!
- Caffeine and nicotine dry out the mouth and should be avoided if possible.
For more information, check out my post on tonsil stone diet tips which covers this topic in greater detail.
Oral Probiotics
Although diet is the first line of defense against tonsil stones, it wont always prevent them 100%.
It’s entirely possible to have tonsil stones that don’t have much of an odor, and one of the most effective ways we can significantly reduce the horrible bad breath caused by tonsil stones is to use oral probiotics.
However, not all probiotics are created equal. Most of the probiotics that you encounter will be for your gut, which is why I recommend using these oral probiotics by Naturewise.
Oral probiotics are specifically designed to balance the “good bacteria” cultures of your mouth which is effective in reducing the “bad bacteria” infused within tonsil stones. Simply let a tablet dissolve on your tongue in the evening before going to bed (after brushing your teeth), and you might even cure yourself of morning breath as well!
Surgery
Unfortunately surgery is the only permanent cure for tonsil stones, and even more unfortunate is that tonsil stones will still be able to form in other parts of your mouth (particularly the lingual tonsils in your throat).
This is one of the biggest reasons why I don’t recommend going this route, but if you do then there are two options.
Tonsillectomy
One of the most straight forward cures for tonsil stones is to completely remove your palatine tonsils altogether! This is typically done at an early age when tonsillitis is a chronic problem (when they become infected/inflamed frequently).
The procedure is simple, get a sharp knife and cut everything out (I’m definitely simplifying things).
As an adult, this is much less straight forward – particularly because life’s obligations do not cease. Many adults find that getting a tonsillectomy is a debilitating experience and all the ice cream in the world will not silence their lamentations.
“[…] tonsillectomy entails significant morbidity for several weeks.”
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
A much better type of surgery to get is called “Coblation Cryptolysis.”
Coblation Cryptolysis
What?! You haven’t heard of this method before? The big-name health site forgot to tell you about it?!
That’s probably because this type of surgery is considered “Novel” – it isn’t very popular. However, according to researchers, Coblation Cryptolysis is very effective in curing tonsil stones without removing your tonsils, without needing sedation, and the recovery period is only 1 week long.
It is very similar to “laser cryptolysis” except that:
“However, Coblation avoids the significant disadvantages of laser use, including the potential for airway fire, retinal damage from reflected scatter, dealing with plume from vaporized tissues, oral/facial burns, and the high cost of purchasing and maintaining laser equipment. After a single session of Coblation tonsil cryptolysis, a significant decrease and even elimination of tonsil stones can potentially be achieved.”
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Essentially what happens is this: the crypts of your tonsils are removed instead of the entire membrane. The only problem is finding a surgeon to perform this, which means you will have to…*ahem*…talk to your doctor.
>:(
How To Treat Tonsil Stones At Home
Sometimes all of the prevention methods above wont work and you will need to physically get rid of the tonsil stones stuck within your crypts. In fact, not removing stones can cause them to grow so big that surgery will be required!
So it’s always a good idea to keep these home remedies on hand. First are the tools that you use for physical removal, and second is a special gargle that you can use for dissolving them.
Tonsil Stone Removal Tools
In my previous article about the 2 best tonsil stone removal tools I use, I cover both the lighted pick as well as an oral irrigator and how to use them.
Lighted Pick
| Preview | Product | Shop |
|---|---|---|
| Upgraded 7.1" Tonsil Stone Remover Tool with LED Light Pick | Amazon |
  | Alternative: Airgoesin™ Upgraded Tonsil Stone Remover Tool | Amazon |
The first tool that you’re going to want to use is the lighted pick that will allow you to dig around the crypts of your tonsils and pop out any stones that are in there. The kit that I recommend has soft rubber tips so they are gentle on your tonsils.
However, I realize that most people have a hard time with their gag reflex when attempting this, so check out my article on how to remove tonsil stones without gagging.
Water Flosser For Tonsil Stones
| Preview | Product | Shop |
|---|---|---|
| Oral irrigator Tonsil Stone Remover | Amazon |
| TheraBreath Oxygenating Fresh Breath Oral Rinse | Amazon |
The second tool that I recommend is a water flosser that has a very low (10) PSI. This is critically important because most units start at higher (30-40 PSI) pressures that will cause significant pain/bleeding if you try to use them on your tonsils.
I have learned over the years that using the water flosser to flush out tonsil stones has been the most effective method of keeping them moist, as well as getting rid of stones that were missed by the light pick or that I couldn’t see.
You will want to pair all of these tools with a good mouthwash that doesn’t contain alcohol since that will dry out your mouth. I like to use an oxygenating mouthwash from Therabreath and the procedure is as follows:
- Use lighted pick to inspect crypts and remove stones
- Use water flosser to flush tonsils and crypts
- Gargle with oxygenating mouthwash to kill any anaerobic bacteria
Home Remedies For Dissolving Tonsil Stones
Finally if all else fails and you have stones that are so big you aren’t able to remove them via conventional means, then I have a home remedy that may (or may not) help! ;-P
The idea is to use a caustic solution made out of household food ingredients that will dissolve tonsil stones. In some cases this happens immediately, and for others it may take a few days. Check out my article on dissolving tonsil stones for a quick recipe as well as a more elaborate concoction.
For a quick reference, you will want to mix together these ingredients:
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Water | 8 OZ |
| Apple Cider Vinegar | 1 Tablespoon |
| Lemon Juice | 1 Tablespoon |
| Sea Salt/Himalayan Pink | 1/8 Teaspoon |
This solution will melt most tonsil stones like butter! But be careful as it can ruin the enamel on your teeth.
Gargle with it for 30 seconds, ensuring that the solution gets all the way into your tonsils. It is perfectly safe to swallow, but you may want to spit it out anyways.
Holy crap!! I had my tonsil stone for 4 days and after gargling that solution I spit the stone out in like 3 minutes!! I’ve never had instant results like that! Everyone try this!!! I gargled the solution and let it sit for a few seconds and then spit it out.
MCR262
Conclusion
While tonsil stones are a smelly nuisance, they are very much manageable and do not require invasive surgery so long as you implement a good prevention routine.
I have found that one of the most effective methods for preventing tonsil stones has been the use of oral probiotics, gargling with an oxygenating mouth wash, and using my water flosser every morning to flush out the crypts of my tonsils. With that simple combination, I have found that dietary changes and surgery are completely unnecessary.
However, if you want a cure for tonsil stones then you will need to get either a Tonsillectomy or Coblation Cryptolysis so that debris will no longer get stuck (and attacked) within your crypts.