Do you face trouble while swallowing food? Is there a bad odor too? Have a closer look inside your mouth, can you see small white or yellowish masses at the back of your mouth? If yes, then you have developed tonsil stones. Surprised? Well, tonsil stones are very common, and these develop on your tonsils.
Many of you would have them right now with the slightest clue. These usually pose no threat, but when these grow, they can create much discomfort and trouble. Here you also get to know some effective treatments for how to get rid of tonsil stones easily at home.
What are tonsil stones?
Tonsil stones or tonsilloliths are hard white or yellowish calcified masses that form on or within the tonsils.
How do tonsil stones form?
At the back of your mouth, you will find soft and fleshy structures that contain lymphocytes. These are tonsils that serve as the checkpoint for foreign bodies in your mouth. They have crevices, tunnels, and pits known as tonsil crypts that filter germs and foreign entities.
At times dead cells, food, mucus, and saliva get trapped in tonsil crypts on which the microbes like fungi and bacteria feed resulting in bad odor. Further, with time this debris hardens to form tonsil stones.
What causes tonsil stones?
Often food material, saliva, and mucus get trapped in the pockets of your tonsils. Microbes in your mouth feed on them resulting in calcified tonsil stones. The primary factors behind the build-up are:
- Poor oral hygiene
- Chronic sinus
- Large tonsils
- Chronic tonsillitis (inflamed tonsils)
Tonsil stones symptoms
You might be not able to see tonsil stones but can identify the issue from the following signs:
- Bad breath
- A sore throat
- Swollen tonsils
- Trouble in swallowing food
- White or yellowish build-up on the tonsil
- Ear pain
- Persistent coughing
How to remove tonsil stones that you cannot see?
Some tonsil stones are small, and you might be not able to see them, but these cause noticeable symptoms that may cause much discomfort and embarrassment. Further, if not treated, these keep on growing to form large tonsil stones that can worsen the situation. Hence, you must remove them as soon as possible. Here are some natural remedies for how to get rid of tonsil stones easily.
1. Foods that may help remove tonsil stones
How to get rid of tonsil stones with garlic?
Your pantry is full of some potent substances that can relieve you of all such troubles. Of which garlic is quite powerful. This pungent root serves as an excellent remedy for how to get rid of tonsil stones. Know how you can clear your tonsil stones with garlic.
How to use?
- Take one or two garlic cloves
- Crush them and keep them in your mouth for about ten minutes
- After that, chew them
Benefits of Garlic
Raw garlic works wonders for tonsil stones symptoms like bad breath and bacterial build-up. It contains active compound allicin which has strong antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial properties that kill the microbes accumulated on and around your tonsils, thus inhibiting their growth and preventing foul odor. Garlic works great to relieve you of tonsil stones smell.
Precautions
Excessive consumption of garlic may upset your stomach or may cause several other health issues. Hence, you must eat it in moderation.
How to clear tonsil stones with lemon?
Lemon is another effective treatment for small tonsil stones. Add it to your diet and see a visible difference in the symptoms of tonsil stones.
How to use?
- Squeeze out the fresh lemon juice
- Add it to water
- Drink this mixture slowly or rinse your mouth with the solution
Benefits of lemon
Lemon has amazing healing properties that can help fight the formation of tonsil stones and provide relief from the symptoms of the condition. It is an excellent source of Vitamin C which boosts your immune system and helps fight the bacterial build-up in your mouth. Start your day with lemon water and bid farewell to tonsil stones.
Precautions
Those with GERD or stomach ulcers should avoid drinking lemon water as lemon being acidic can aggravate your issues.
Foods to eat
Besides, the foods mentioned above, you can include the following in your diet to treat tonsil stones:
- Apples
- Onion
- Yogurt
- Foods rich in Vitamin C like broccoli, citrus fruits, etc.
- Carrots
Foods to limit
Excess of calcium in your body can accumulate in your tonsils and cause the tonsils stones to harden. Hence, keep a check on your consumption of calcium-rich foods.
2. Herbal treatments for getting rid of tonsil stones
How to treat tonsil stones with Chamomile tea?
Chamomile tea is touted as the best herbal tea for how to get rid of tonsil stones. Clear green tonsil stones easily with chamomile tea endowed with potent properties.
How to use?
- Put a chamomile tea bag in a cup of hot water
- Let it steep for about five minutes
- After that, remove the tea bag and add in a teaspoon each of lemon juice and honey
- Stir the ingredients well and drink the tea
- Drinking chamomile tea at least three to four times a day provides effective relief from tonsil stones sore throat
Benefits of chamomile tea
Chamomile tea has potent anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, astringents and antg=unga properties that make it quite effective for treating tonsil stones. It can provide you significant relief from the pain and swelling due to the tonsil stones. Further, its healing properties accelerate your recovery from the symptoms. Also, its soothing effect alleviates your trouble of a sore throat.
Precautions
Chamomile tea may cause an allergic reaction in some people.
How to clear tonsil stones with green tea?
Green tea is a popular herbal tea known to provide numerous health benefits. It is also quite effective in treating tonsil stones and the associated troubles. See how you can use green tea for getting rid of tonsil stones.
How to use?
- Boil two cups of water
- Let it cool a bit
- After that add to it two tablespoons of green tea, a teaspoon of crushed fresh mint leaves and one cinnamon stick
- Let it steep for five minutes
- After that, strain the mixture and consume the tea
Benefits of green tea
Green tea, cinnamon, and mint all three contain strong antimicrobial properties that make them quite effective against the microbes present in your mouth.
Besides, cinnamon and mint also have aromatic properties that leave you with fresh odor. Consume this amazing concoction every day and bid goodbye to various oral issues along with tonsil stones forever. It will keep your mouth clean and germ-free. Further, the high amount of antioxidants contained in green tea keep you active all through the day.
Precautions
Do not add green tea in boiling water as it will destroy its amazing properties. Also, please note that green tea contains caffeine too. Hence, you must drink it in moderation. Excessive consumption may have adverse effects on your health.
3. Essential oils for tonsil stones treatment
How to get rid of tonsil stones with Myrrh Essential Oil?
Myrrh Essential oil obtained from the resin of an African tree Commiphora myrrha is widely used for getting rid of tonsil stones. Use it to remove tonsil stones and the associated symptoms.
How to use?
- Add a few drops of myrrh essential oil in hot water
- Inhale the steam rising from the water
- Let it reach your throat and sinuses relieving you of the troubles
- Alternatively,
- You can spray the essential oil on your tonsils using a spray bottle
- OrAdd a few drops of the oil on your toothbrush and brush your tongue, teeth, and the entire mouth
Benefits of Myrrh Essential Oil
Myrrh Essential Oil has strong antibacterial properties that kill the bacteria accumulated in your throat and tonsils. Thus, it effectively clears the tonsil stones and removes the bad breath. It also helps in easing out the pain and inflammation caused due to tonsil stones. Use it to get rid of tonsil stones easily.
Precautions
Do not consume the essential oil as ingesting it may cause some digestive troubles.
Other essential oils that can be used to treat Tonsil Stones
Tonsil stones bleeding, bad odor, pain, swelling, soreness of throat, all can be easily treated by using essential oils. Here are some other essential oils that can also be used to treat the tonsil stones. Use them in the similar manner as myrrh essential oil and alleviate your troubles easily.
Lemongrass Essential Oil:
Lemongrass Essential Oil is another potent essential oil that efficiently resolves your tonsil stones troubles. Firstly, it boosts your immunity by promoting better absorption of nutrients by your body which is necessary for inhibiting tonsil stones. Secondly, it reduces inflammation, thus ensuring that your tonsil stones do not bleed. Further, it has strong antibacterial properties that kill the bacteria present in your mouth which is the primary cause of tonsil stones and bad breath.
Lavender Essential Oil:
Lavender Essential Oil clears your tonsil problems by preventing the accumulation of mucus at the back of the throat which is one of the primary reasons for tonsil stones. The oil helps in clearing sinus congestion and expels out the phlegm present in your airway. It loosens up the thick mucus, clears it off, thus preventing tonsil stones.
Thieves Essential Oil:
Thieves Essential Oil is one of the best essential oils for how to get rid of tonsil stones. It not only cures the tonsil stones but also prevents them from occurring again and again. Made by combining eucalyptus, rosemary, clove, cinnamon, and lemon essential oils, this oil blend effectively eliminates the tonsil stones. While lemon and clove oil have antiseptic and antibacterial properties that kill the bacteria, cinnamon and eucalyptus oils help in clearing the mucus accumulated in the throat. Thus, thieves essential oil effectively helps in removing tonsil stones.
Clove Essential Oil:
Clove essential oil, made from clove plant is excellent for reducing the swelling and discomfort caused due to tonsil stones. It is known for its numbing effect and works as a natural pain reliever. It can also help you get rid of the ear pain caused due to tonsil stones.
4. Home Remedies for removing Tonsil stones
How to treat Tonsil stones with Apple Cider Vinegar?
The thick dark liquid obtained from fermenting apples contains some incredible properties which make it highly effective in treating some severe troubles including tonsil stones. Apple cider vinegar is undoubtedly one of the best home remedies for how to get rid of tonsil stones.
How to use?
- Add a teaspoon of Apple cider vinegar to a glass of water
- Take a sip of the solution and tilt your head backward
- Swish your mouth with the solution, make sure that the solution reaches your tonsils
- Do it for fifteen minutes and then spit out the water
- Repeat the same procedure for the remaining solution
- After that, rinse your mouth with clean water
- Repeat it one to three times a day to break down the stones and remove them
Benefits of apple cider vinegar
The solution made using apple cider vinegar and water serves as an excellent mouthwash for tonsil stones. Gargling with this solution breaks down the white or black tonsil stones deposits and helps in flushing them out. Further, apple cider vinegar has strong antifungal and antibacterial properties that kill the pathogens present in your mouth thus, inhibiting their build-up.
Swishing your mouth with it also prevents the foul tonsil stones smell. Add on, being anti-inflammatory it eases the swelling and pain associated with the stones. Thus, apple cider vinegar is an effective remedy for tonsil stones.
Precautions
Apple cider vinegar is highly acidic. Therefore, you must not use it in undiluted form. Also, make sure that you do not gulp down the solution while gargling as it may contain germs and the debris of the tonsil stones.
5. Natural Treatments for clearing tonsil stones
How to remove tonsil stones by coughing?
Coughing up tonsil stones is an easy and effective treatment for clearing tonsil stones in the throat. Know how to get rid of tonsil stones by coughing them up.
How to do?
Cough with a little force to remove the tonsil stones
Benefits of coughing
Coughing helps to clear your throat and airways thus can effectively remove the tonsil stones. Forceful coughing can dislodge the tonsil stones and may expel them from your throat.
Precautions
Do not cough too hard or injure your throat.
How to get rid of tonsil stones with salt water?
Chronic tonsil stones can be bothersome. These can irritate your throat and can get infected worsening the situation further. Salt water is one such at home remedy that effectively treats the tonsil stones trouble and can also help heal oral wounds.
How to use?
- Add half a teaspoon of salt to a glass of warm water (about eight ounces)
- Gargle with this solution to clear the tonsil stones
- Repeat it two or more times a day
Benefits of saltwater
Saltwater is the best way to prevent infected tonsil stones and effectively removes them. The warm salt water helps in loosening out the tonsil stones. Further, swishing vigorously can expel them. Also saltwater has antibacterial properties that effectively fight off the build-up and reduce the symptoms of tonsil stones.
Infected tonsil stones can be treated by using this saltwater cure. However, if saltwater is not helping much in flushing out the tonsil stones, you can try Waterpik for tonsil stones removal. Waterpik is an oral irrigator that pushes water more forcefully in your mouth due to its electrically powered pump. This extra force can help you out in removing the stones.
Precautions
Do not use too hot water to rinse your mouth. Also, make sure that you spit out the water after swishing your mouth as it may contain debris and germs.
How to prevent tonsil stones?
The remedies mentioned above for clearing tonsil stones provide noticeable results in no time; hence you can use them to treat your tonsil stones. However, just eliminating them is not enough as these can occur again. Here are some tips on how to prevent tonsil stones from recurring. You can employ them to resist the build-up of debris in your mouth.
- Practice good oral hygiene. Follow proper daily care of your mouth. Clean the bacteria at the back of your tongue while brushing. Floss daily
- Gargle with salt water
- Drink plenty of water. It helps in flushing out toxins from your body
- Do not smoke
Tonsil stones can cause you much discomfort. Hence, do not wait for them to get bigger. Instead on the slightest hint of tonsil stones, employ the cures mentioned above for how to get rid of tonsil stones and clear them quickly.
These remedies are a cost-effective way to alleviate your troubles. Furthermore, these incorporate natural products, hence are safe for you. So, what are you waiting for? Treat your tonsil stones now.
