Tonsil Stones 101: Identification, Causes, Removal & Prevention

Identification
Tonsil stones are hard masses that form inside folds of tissue located in the back of the throat (the tonsils). Tonsil stones are whitish-yellow in color and have a pungent, foul odor that contributes to bad breath.

The average size of a tonsil stone is around the size of a BB or small pea. Upon reaching this size, they often become dislodged while clearing the throat or breathing heavily (due to physical exertion).

• Bad breath

• A feeling that something is stuck in the back of the throat

• Pressure or pain in the ears

• Difficulty swallowing

• Sore throat

Sometimes it's possible to see tonsil stones using a mirror. They will be located in the back of the throat towards either side. However, if they are lodged deep inside the tonsils they are not always visible.

What Causes Tonsil Stones To Form
Most often, oral plaque is responsible for tonsil stone formation. Oral plaque is a sticky, colorless film containing millions of bacteria. These bacteria continually multiply, forming more plaque that spreads in places throughout the mouth.

The spread of plaque, if not disrupted, will form layers that coat parts of the teeth, tongue and gum line. Underneath these layers of plaque are pockets of low-oxygen environments where anaerobic bacteria thrive, also reaching millions in number.

When there are high populations of plaque-associated bacteria present in the mouth, there are also high amounts in the saliva. There are untold billions more bacteria that are swallowed each day when oral plaque is present compared to when it is not.

As saliva travels down the throat, the tonsils act as a bacteria filter. If the tonsils become overwhelmed, the bacteria can accumulate, clumping together along with various debris. The clumps eventually harden, forming tonsil stones.

Connection With Bad Breath
Tonsil Stones are connected with bad breath for two main reasons:

1. The plaque-associated bacteria that grows on the tongue, teeth and gum-line (the main cause of tonsil stone formation) include a type of bacteria classified as gram-negative anaerobic bacteria. These bacteria are known to release Volatile Sulfur Compounds (VSC's)– otherwise known as bad breath.

2. Because tonsil stones are partially made up of gram-negative anaerobic bacteria, tonsil stones themselves release VSC's.

While tonsil stones themselves release VSC's, they are often not the root cause of bad breath, or it's largest contributor. Usually, the plaque-associated bacteria growing on the tongue, teeth and gum-line are responsible for most VSC's.

Tonsil Stone Removal
Tonsil stones often become dislodged on their own but in some cases might need to be removed. The following methods may be tried:

• Gargle with salt water.

• Clear throat or cough to try and dislodge.

• Visit a dentist or ENT Doctor for removal.

How to Prevent Tonsil Stones
Since tonsil stones originate from plaque growth on the tongue, teeth and gum-line, reducing plaque-associated bacteria in these areas is key to preventing tonsil stones.

• Tongue Scrape Daily
  When not cleaned regularly, a thick layer of plaque can form on top of the tongue, creating low-oxygen environments within the nooks and crannies of the tongue's sponge-like tissue underneath. These nooks and crannies make perfect spots for anaerobic bacteria growth.

  Because of its large surface area and porous texture, the tongue is a perfect environment for bacterial growth, having the potential to be the single largest contributor to tonsil stone formation.

  Tongue scrapers are tools designed specifically to remove the plaque layer on the surface of the tongue. Once this layer is removed, the anaerobic bacteria underneath will be exposed to oxygen and unable to survive.

• Brush and Floss Daily
  Brushing and flossing removes plaque, which consists of bacteria that multiplies exponentially. Plaque that is not removed daily will harden, forming tartar.

  Tartar makes it more difficult to remove new plaque bacteria, aiding in the spread of plaque and leading to potential tonsil stone formation and other oral hygiene problems.

  Plaque and tartar can also cause inflammation in the gums. When this happens, the gums will pull away from teeth and form pockets. Plaque then gets trapped in these pockets, potentially adding billions more bacteria to the mouth's total population.

  Since plaque grows exponentially and then hardens into tartar, and tartar makes it more difficult to remove plaque, brushing and flossing every day is very important.

  Failure to brush and floss every day can enable bacteria levels to spiral out of control, leading to not only tonsil stones, but many other oral care problems.

• Schedule a Dental Cleaning
  As stated above, brushing and flossing every day will help prevent plaque growth and slow down tartar formation. However, it's still likely tartar may slowly accumulate. Therefore, professional dental cleanings every six months are a must.

  At the dentist's office the hygienist will scrape off all tartar and examine the teeth, gums, tongue and tonsils.

  Dental visits every six months will help make sure tartar growth is kept to a minimum and the mouth is in good condition. This will make it much easier to keep bacteria levels low in between dental visits, decreasing the risk of tonsil stone formation.

• Use Amazing Breath to Slow Down Bacterial Growth
  Amazing Breath helps quickly and easily control bacteria populations responsible for tonsil stones in a very unique and effective way.

  As mentioned above, brushing, flossing, tongue scraping and regular dental visits will help keep bacteria levels lower. But for many people, this is not enough to prevent tonsil stones and other oral hygiene problems. The effectiveness of these methods is dependent on the current condition of the mouth and how faithfully people stick with the demanding regimen needed to successfully battle plaque.

  One of the biggest problems is the lack of effectiveness of most store-bought toothpastes and mouthwashes. The reason they are ineffective is because after the bacteria are cleaned away or killed using these products, the bacteria return and start forming plaque again very quickly. This is why people often start reaching for breath mints and gum shortly after using these products.

  The quick return of bacteria is enabled by two things: 1) the bacteria's extremely fast growth rate and 2) the microscopic food particles and debris that act as their food source, fueling their multiplication and rapid spread.

  These microscopic food particles and debris get stuck in tiny cracks and crevices in the teeth, gums and around the mouth where they are very difficult, if not impossible to reach by brushing, flossing and tongue scraping alone. Toothpastes and mouthwashes can reach these areas but are only formulated to destroy the bacteria, not their food sources.

  In order to effectively reduce plaque associated bacteria and therefore tonsil stones, it is necessary to both kill the bacteria and slow down their growth rate. This can be accomplished by destroying the microscopic food sources in addition to the bacteria through oxidation.

  Amazing Breath's liquid formula will reach into the tiny cracks and crevices, oxidizing microscopic food particles and organic debris. Without their food sources, bacteria will be unable to multiply fast enough to reach the large populations that cause tonsil stones, bad breath and other oral hygiene problems.

Guaranteed Results
When Amazing Breath is used twice daily as directed, noticeable results that indicate a reduction in plaque associated bacteria are guaranteed. These results include: less tonsil stones, a cleaner feeling mouth, smoother teeth and fresh, neutral breath.

If these results are noticed by the end of the Starter Kit, there is a good chance new tonsil stones will not form. Once the current tonsil stones are removed or become dislodged by themselves, the problem should be greatly reduced or eliminated.

Risk-free Offer
If the guaranteed noticeable results mentioned above are not experienced by the end of the Starter Kit, customers will receive their money back simply by contacting us within 45 days of the order date and requesting a refund. 100% of the full purchase price less S&H will be refunded to the customer.